446 
VETERINARY OBSTETRICS. 
nearly eleven miles from mv bouse. The messenger stated 
that the mare was foaling; but they could not find the head, 
although the legs were in the passage. On my way I ex¬ 
pressed an opinion to the hind that the mare would be lost, 
fully expecting that all the farmers within three miles would 
have tried “ their experience.” Mr. Taylor, however, was a 
sensible and humane man, and when they could not find the 
head, he refused to allow any one to interfere with the fmtus 
until he saw whether I could attend. 
On my arrival—not less than three hours after they had 
explored the uterus—I found the mare lying at full length, 
apparently suffering but little, with the fore feet of the foal 
protruding out of the vagina as far as the fetlock-joints. The 
throes were not at all violent, and the vulva not much swollen. 
On examination I found the head lying on the side of the foetus, 
but could only reach as far as the orbit, although the uterine 
contraction was unusually slight, and the parts not much 
swollen, nor yet very dry, and the mare lying comparatively 
quiet. I had some sacks filled with straw, her hind parts 
raised—as I have frequently done with the cow—and the 
sacks placed under them. [ then proceeded to insert a 
common hook, to which was attached a strong cord, into the 
orbit, and whilst assistants pulled at the cord, which brought 
the head a little nearer the pelvis, I succeeded in getting a 
slip-noose over the lower jaw. An assistant was then 
ordered to push as much as possible against the protruding 
extremities, whilst others were pulling at the cords fast to 
the jaw, and the hook in the orbit. In less than half an 
hour from the commencement the head was brought into the 
pelvic cavity; ropes were then fixed on the fetlocks, and 
delivery effected in a very short time. Before I left the 
hall, the mare was up, and had eaten a little mash, and in a 
few days was perfectly well. 
Case 2. —This was a mare about ten years old, the property 
of Mr. Wm. Hutchinson, of “Old Shotten,” and which had had 
several foals before. This case occurred the following week to 
the other one, and was in the first instance attended by a neigh¬ 
bouring practitioner, a member of our profession, and a very 
good one too. The presentation was precisely the same, but the 
circumstances attending it the very opposite of what I met 
with in almost every particular. The mare was very violent, 
and the expulsive throes rapid and excessively strong, almost 
from the commencement of labour. The vagina was very much 
swollen, and the uterus and foetus very dry. The gentleman 
who attended the case from the first—that is, after some half 
