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CASES OF DIFFICULT PARTURITION IN THE COW. 
By John Nelson, VS., Highfield , Sheffield. 
[Continued from vol. xxi, p. 139.] 
To the Editor of “ The Veterinarian.” 
Dear Sir,— Since cases of this nature often occur in my practice, 
I send the following, if you think them worthy a place in your 
valuable journal. 
Case I.—Dec. 28th, 1847, Mr. George West, Gleadless, near 
Sheffield, sent a messenger desiring my attendance as soon as pos¬ 
sible to a cow, which he informed me could not calve, and was in 
great pain. I accordingly went, and on my arrival, inquiring into 
the case, I was informed that the cow had shewn symptoms of 
labour pains for the last six or eight hours, which had much in¬ 
creased during the last hour or two. I asked the owner if she was 
at the full time for calving; whereto Mr. W. answered me in the 
affirmative. I next proceeded to examine her per vaginam , as no 
part of the foetus had appeared externally. On introducing my 
hand into the vagina, I found one knee protruding into the pelvis, 
the other fore leg was down in the lower part of the womb ; and 
the head was in the same direction as the fore leg, with its nose 
inclining backwards; hence its neck was doubled on the lower 
part of the left shoulder. 
I first got up the foot of the leg that was already in the vagina, 
and secured it by a rope. I next applied my forceps, with rope 
likewise, in the nostrils, which were just within reach. I then 
proceeded to get up the other fore leg, by applying my forceps to 
the dewlap, while an assistant was gently pushing the foetus to the 
opposite side of the womb, so as to give room; by which means I 
was enabled to get it up. Having now roped both fore feet, and they 
being brought into the vagina, the assistant gently again pushed 
back the foetus in the same direction with the forceps, in order to 
give room for the head to be brought up : I at the same time gently 
drawing at the cord attached to the forceps in the nostrils, by 
which means the head was brought forward in its proper place. 
The forceps were now released from the dewlap, and force was 
applied to the ropes on the feet and nostrils, in which manner the 
foetus was extracted in a few minutes; and though life was not 
quite extinct, it died in about five minutes after extraction. A 
dose of aperient combined with fever medicine was given for a few 
days, when the cow recovered. The time occupied was forty-three 
minutes. 
