485 
A CASE OF PARTURITION IN THE COW. 
By Mr. Tait, V.S., Portsoy. 
O, heaven, that such empirics thoud’st unfold; 
And put in every honest hand a whip, 
To lash the rascals naked through the world, 
Even from the east to the west! 
SHAKSPEARE. 
I was called the other week to see a cow, which had been in 
calving for nearly twenty hours previous; and, on examination, 
I found the head pressing against and over the pubis, with the 
fore legs protruding externally. The case was plain ; and I imme¬ 
diately proceeded to push back the legs and elevate the head, 
by getting my finger into the orbit first, and, after taking hold 
of the under jaw, and bringing it into the axis of the pelvis, 
I had no difficulty in taking the foetus away. 
Remarks. —Perhaps there is nothing peculiar in this case; and 
it is likely that I should not have sent it (for I have had many 
more difficult under my care) were it not to shew the danger of 
trusting valuable animals to pretending quacks , with whom this 
country so much abounds.—“ Tell it not in Gath, nor publish it 
in the streets of Askalon.” This cow was attended all the time 
by our most canny and skiely carlie , who had used a great deal 
of manipulation in ineffectual attempts either to raise the head 
or to pull the calf away by the fore legs, even though the head 
was reverted on the shoulder: finding he was not likely to be 
successful, he told the owner that nothing could save the cow 
but to take the calf out at her side, which he was about to do ; but 
the proprietor wished my opinion first, and I was accordingly 
sent for. After the calf was taken away, this ignoramus had the 
presumption to order half a bottle of wine to be given to the cow, 
although she was under my care (I learned afterwards that he had 
given one bottle before I saw her, as he said, “to keep back in¬ 
flammation !!”), though he had been handling her not over gently 
for many hours before, which had produced great inflammation 
and swelling of the vagina and external parts: this, of course, I 
objected to; and desired a pailful of meal and water to be given, 
which she took readily, and a pound of Epsom salts, dissolved 
in gruel, to be given an hour after the birth. The cow has not 
required any thing else, and is now quite well. 
Here is a case in which a valuable animal would have been sacri¬ 
ficed by the mere ignorance and presumption of a regular pre¬ 
tender ; for any one at all acquainted with the anatomical con¬ 
struction of the parts could not have had any difficulty in relieving 
VOL. VII. 3 R 
