396 FALSE PRESENTATION IN A MARE. 
my hand into the rectum, and removed some feces, during which 
time she strained violently to force the gut down, though she never 
strained but when I tried to remove some feces. Soon after T gave 
another anodyne and aperient, which done she appeared more 
composed, became cooler, had a better pulse, and looked comfort¬ 
able in appearance and left off sweating. I left her for the night, 
expecting to find her better in the morning. 
29th. — Ten, A.M. Has been very restless at times in the night, 
and about 3 A M. the owner thought she was dying, and in con¬ 
sequence took about three quarts of blood from her. She is now 
evidently getting worse: pulse smaller, and beats a great many 
times together, then intermits: makes attempts to lie down, but 
fears to do so, since she evidently cannot bear the fall. 
Taking all the symptoms together, I did not consider it a case of 
enteritis, and therefore declined to bleed again, since I thought it 
would only hasten her death. Bowels not moved to any effect: 
raked, and removed a good deal of tolerably moist feces, she strain¬ 
ing violently while doing so. Gave aperients and anodynes, and 
stimulated the abdomen. She, however, gradually got worse and 
worse, and died about 7 P.M. 
Post-mortem Examination .—On laying open the abdomen there 
issued a good deal of bloody serum, and on removing the intestines 
I soon discovered the cause of the ailment; for, on taking out the 
rectum, I found that its mesentery was torn from it for at least 
half a yard in extent. I next laid open the vagina and uterus. 
They were much about in that state in which they would appear 
at such a period after parturition. In the former I found a strong 
band, the thickness of one’s little finger, and about a foot long, 
stretching across, at about six inches from the os uteri, from one 
side to the other. 
Observations .—I have no doubt that, at the time of parturition, 
the fore leg of the foal which was not presented, was retained by 
the band that was stretched across the uterus, thus preventing her 
foaling, and causing the excessive straining, and giving rise to 
rupture of the mesentery, protrusion of the rectum, and, ultimately, 
to the death of the mare. This, 1 believe, was her first foal. 
I never met with a similar case in the mare, though I have found 
bands in the uteri of different other animals, whose cases I have 
recorded in The Veterinarian. 
