ROYAL AND CENTRAL SOCIETY OF AGRICULTURE. 505 
piece-meal. The mothers did well. In one of these cases, besides 
the obstacles to parturition resulting from the unnatural position 
of the fcetus, the tail and hinder parts of which presented them- 
selves, M. Drouard had also to contend with those caused by a 
considerable hydrocephalus, which opposed the passage of the head 
across the pelvis. The fourth case afforded an instance of the 
passage of the fcetus through the coats of the abdomen. A sheep 
that had arrived at the period of gestation several days before, 
made repeated and fruitless efforts to expel the lamb. These 
efforts suddenly ceased, and for about a month the animal ap- 
peared to be quite well. At the end of this time symptoms of 
indisposition were observable — an oedematous swelling formed 
around the umbilicus and the skin wrinkled up, and allowed the 
wool of the foetus to become perceptible. The opening was en- 
larged, and the lamb extracted from the abdomen — a suture was 
then passed, and properly dressed. Complications succeeded, 
which were successfully treated, and the animal was cured. This 
case is certainly one of the most extraordinary ever met with in the 
annals of veterinary surgery. 
M. Drouard is a very clever, well-informed veterinarian — 
a scientific practitioner, and one who has shewn great zeal in con- 
tributing to the progress of science ; your commissioners propose 
that a copy of “ the Theatre of Agriculture,” of Oliver de Serres 
should be presented to him. 
M. Jacquot, Professor of veterinary medicine to the Hospital 
at St. Die (Vosges), has forwarded a manuscript, the intention 
of which is, to use his own words, to direct attention to the bene- 
fits that may be derived from the use of soda as an accessory to the 
ordinary diet of our most useful domesticated animals. 
“ From time immemorial, it has been remarked,” says M. 
Jacquot, ‘‘that herbivorous animals, living on plants grown on 
soils impregnated with salt, are always most healthy, and hence 
it has been deemed advisable to mingle a small portion of salt 
with their food ; but it is soda and not salt which these plants 
contain, which is a valuable substance, and that, in ordinary loca- 
lities only enters into the composition of plants in almost inap- 
preciable quantities. 
M. Jacquot relates, that for about the last six years he has 
entered into a series of experiments on a small flock of merinos 
belonging to him, and which used formerly to be sadly devas- 
tated by the rot, turnsick, cutaneous diseases, &c.: that he has 
placed these animals in situations the most unfavourable to 
health and has pastured them on damp moist meadow land ; but 
has at the same time given to each sheep from six to nine grains 
of soda per day, mixed with a little oats, and that, for the last 
vot. xiv. 3 u 
