88 A SINGULAR CASE OF PARTURITION IN A SQW. 
alimentary canal? I believe that asthma, in the human subject, 
is often considered to be a disease attributable to the viscera of 
the abdomen, viz. the stomach, liver, &c. 
How far the disease in the horse, denominated broken- wind, 
and asthma in the human subject, bear an analogy to each other, 
it is not for me to decide at present ; but certainly there are re- 
sults from our treatment that would lead one to this analogy. We 
all allow that light grass diet very materially relieves the respira- 
tion of a broken-winded horse — changes of atmosphere also ope- 
rate to a considerable extent, greater, in my opinion, than we can 
account for by viewing the character of the disease as merely a 
structural one. I trust, however, that this subject will be taken 
up by abler hands than mine. 
I am, &c. 
A SINGULAR CASE OF PARTURITION IN A SOW. 
By Mr . Samuel Ramsden, F.*S., Ripon. 
Although the above is not of very recent date, I beg to for- 
ward it, thinking that you may consider it worthy of insertion in 
The Veterinarian. 
About the middle of August 1840, I was summoned to attend 
a sow, which for two days had been labouring under the act of 
parturition. It being a very unusual circumstance to assist this 
animal in such a case, I felt some hesitation in attempting to ex- 
tract the pigs. The sow could not rise, and seemed to be in 
great suffering. The owner, however, urged me to relieve her, 
and save some, if net all, of the pigs. 
I anointed my hand, and assisted her in extricating one. I then 
gave her some gruel, and left her for the space of three quarters 
of an hour, hoping that she would be enabled to effect the partu- 
rition of the rest without aid. 
On my return the sow appeared perfectly senseless, and the 
young pig was at one of the teats endeavouring to suck. Her 
parturition was not in the least advanced, and 1 found it neces- 
sary to assist her again by pressing with my left hand imme- 
diately over the diaphragm, which caused the sow to strive to 
force on her pains a little, and enabled me to introduce my right 
hand gradually and more easily until I reached the second pig. 
It lay about four inches anterior to the pelvis, and hence I found 
the difficulty of the animal doing without assistance. In fact, she 
still continued in the same stupor, except when I forced her to 
