314 
VETERINARY OBSTETRICS. 
Hunting, of South Hetton, who probably sees as much practice during the 
year, from the very many animals under his charge, as any other veterinarian 
in the United Kingdom. He writes as follows: 
“ c South Hetton, 13th February, 1860. 
“ ‘ My dear Gamgee,—I have met with many cases of difficult labour such 
as you describe, both in the mare and cow; in the latter, I only remember 
two cases in which I did not succeed in delivering the animal; in the mare 
the case is very different; my experience has proved to me that in eighteen 
cases out of twenty of malpresentations, that unless you can adjust the foetus 
and deliver within the first six hours, all the powers on earth cannot avail 
afterwards; and by far the majority of cases in the mare, such as you state, 
you cannot adjust the head, unless you happen to be on the spot almost 
immediately after the membranes become ruptured—say within ten or fifteen 
minutes; then it is much easier; and if you cannot adjust the head in 
twenty minutes, you can in most cases remove the fore extremities from 
the trunk, which facilitates the adjusting the head very considerably; if 
several hours have elapsed, I have met with cases in which I could not get 
the shoulders off nor the head down, consequently could not deliver my 
patient. In some cases other professional men have been sent for, but in 
no single instance have they succeeded where I had failed. I also have been 
called in where others had failed; and I only remember one instance where 
either mare or foal were saved. 5 
“I am tempted to mention, two other Scotch veterinarians, the 
Messrs. Conacher, of Perth, who state that in a case similar to those 
recorded by myself, they had recourse to embryotomy, but the mare died. 
“ Gentlemen,—I have applied for information from those gentlemen 
whose yearly opportunities to test their skill and that of others in the par¬ 
ticular class of cases under our consideration may be termed unlimited, and 
how similar the opinions of gentlemen quite unknown to each other, at 
different parts in England and Scotland. Members present can, I am sure, 
defend my practice, and support the statements of the able practitioners 
whose letters I have transcribed. 
“It is not my object to trouble you with many remarks, after having 
clearly stated the cases in which my practice has been called in question, and 
read you the opinions of practical veterinarians. 
“Published works contain but scanty observations on the difficulties 
experienced by veterinarians in delivering mares in difficult labour. All 
refer to the rules of practice when the head is turned back, viz., pushing 
back the foal, and at the same time pulling on to the head. Gunther, and 
more particularly Baumeister, the most recent and accomplished author on 
veterinary obstetrics, refer to the impossibility of dragging forwards the 
head and neck, necessitating amputation, an operation requiring suitable 
instruments of considerable power. 
“I think we must classify cases of this description under two heads— 
first, the simple cases, by which I mean those to which a veterinary 
surgeon happens to be called shortly after labour commences, and before 
unskilful interference has complicated the presentation. In all these in¬ 
stances the head ol the foetus can be grasped, and there is then no ob¬ 
struction to a prompt delivery ot the mare. In the second place, we have 
the severe cases, which may be classed under three heads, according to the 
unavoidable results attending them. We have the severe cases, in which 
the loal’s life must be at once sacrificed to save the mare, necessitating the 
use ot instruments, according to the rules which must be observed in per- 
