ON PARTURITION. 
52S 
that she had been banquetting on her own offspring. I imme¬ 
diately administered an emetic; and in a very short time the 
whole foetus was returned in five distinct parts, viz. the four 
quarters and the head. After this the bitch began to amend 
very fast: she produced no other pup, and, as her supply of milk 
was small, she was soon convalescent. 
No. VII. 
PARTURITION. 
January 1, 1833.—A beautiful Spanish bitch, belonging to 
Richard Napier, Esq., was taken in labour about 11 o’clock this 
morning, and, after very great difficulty, one pup was born. After 
this the bitch appeared in great pain, but did not succeed in 
expelling any more foetus, in consequence of which I was sent 
for about 3 o’clock p. m. I found my patient very uneasy ; 
breathing laboriously; mouth hot; bowels costive, &cc. Upon 
introducing my finger into the vagina, I could not discover any 
trace of another pup. 
Ordered to be put into a warm bath, and to have a dose of 
opening medicine. 
About five o’clock she got rid of one dead foetus and two liv¬ 
ing ones. 
2d .—My patient this morning is still very ill : she evinces great 
pain when pressed upon the abdomen, and it is manifest to me that 
another pup remains behind. Two of the living ones which 
were born yesterday are dead, and the third is in a very weak 
state, being unable to obtain any milk, in consequence of the 
great restlessness of the bitch. There does not appear any dis¬ 
position in the uterus to contract; in fact, it seems almost worn 
out by its previous efforts. 
R. Sec. cornut. 9j ; pulv. zingiberis 9ij ; ol. palmee q. s. ut 
ft. pil. tres, quarum una detur singulis horse quadrantibus. 
About half an hour after this another pup was produced, and 
the bitch appeared much better; in fact, she began gradually to 
improve, and was very soon dismissed from my visiting list. 
Remarks. 
I have transcribed the two foregoing brief cases from my case¬ 
book in consequence of the remarks upon the efficacy of the 
ergot of rye in difficult parturition, inserted by Mr. Dick in the 
last Veterinarian ; and I think they tend pretty strongly to 
confirm the idea that this medicine possesses a most remarkable 
power over the uterus, rousing its dormant or debilitated contrac¬ 
tility, and stimulating it to an extra performance of this neces- 
