ON PARTURITION IN THE COW. 
373 
through it, so as to enable the head to pass; but the cases re- 
quiring such an operation, I think, are not very common. In 
the foregoing case I do not believe the cow was fairly at her full 
time, and, I think, instead of using such violence, I ought at 
once to have removed the fore legs, which, probably* would have 
made sufficient room; indeed, it was my intention, the next 
minute, to have done so, had not the rupture taken place. I do 
not see why I might not have made an incision or two into the os 
uteri, as it could have been easily done, and with less injury than 
in rupturing the parts. This case clearly shews that a rupture 
of the os uteri is not immediately fatal, as too often is the case 
m the human subject. I really did not see any thing in the post- 
mortem examination sufficiently to account for death, but attri- 
bute it to general exhaustion, from the pains before and during 
labour, and from the irritation caused in throwing the sloughs 
off from the uterus— in other words, from constitutional irritation. 
I also think that great neglect was shewn towards her by the 
owner, in not having had sufficient recourse to tonics. Had they 
been properly applied, I am inclined to believe that she would 
have got well. In many cases cattle will bear stimulants much 
better than horses. 
CASE II. 
FALSE PRESENTATION — EXTRACTION OF THE CALF. 
March 18 th, 1841. —A four-year-old cow, belonging to Mr. 
Dickins, of the Black Park, exhibited symptoms of calving 
about six this morning. Towards eleven I was sent for, but was 
not at home. Several farriers and farmers w'ere then summoned, 
but they could not extract it. At six in the evening, I was par- 
ticularly requested to go over, when I found all of them there, 
but still unable to get the foetus away. The fore legs they had 
removed, but could not get the head up or in the passage. 
It would appear that the calf lay upon its back, with the head 
doubled under its neck ; and when I commenced I found the 
passage excessively dry and swollen, and the head sunk down 
towards the udder, and the uterus contracted around it rather 
firmly. I then put a cord on the lower jaw, but, by pulling, the * 
jaw broke off. I next, with great difficulty, got a blunt hook, 
with a rod and handle attached to it, into the orbit, but on 
pulling at it the bones became separated, and the hook slipped 
out, as it did not lay hold of the skin. I then tried to fasten it 
about the articulation of the jaw, but it glided off along the edge 
of the jaw. The cow then got up, and soon lay down on the 
other side. I then put a sharp-pointed hook with a rod and han- 
