260 
PARTURITION. 
wrong, the owner would not allow T any attempts to be made 
by others until my arrival. 
I found that the foetus was lying on its back, with an inclina ¬ 
tion to the left side, and that the head was partly protruding. 
The vagina was tenanted chiefly by the hind feet, which pas¬ 
sage, for so large a mare, was very small. Was this a case 
requiring some consideration prior to commencing any ope¬ 
ration ?—or do I hear some one say nothing is more easy 
than to detach the head, put the neck back, and bring the 
foetus forward breech first?—or perhaps another telling me to 
push the quarters back, and then get up the fore legs. To 
the first I answer, it is impracticable ; to the second, it is 
impossible. From the extreme length of both foetus and 
mare, the shoulders were not within reach. 
Oh, Messrs. Editors, how glad I should many a time ere 
now have been, when for hours together exercising all the 
strength, patience, and perseverance in my power, to have 
had one of these easy going, overcome-obstacle, clever men 
by my side. What exhaustion, tender fingers, stiff wrists, 
and sore shoulders, such a one would have saved me; but 
few persons know better than yourselves what these cases are : 
these turnings, bringings forward, &c., are much more easily 
carried out on paper that in practice. 
I will now proceed to tell you how I did act, and, as my 
proceeding was successful, so, should another case of the kind 
occur, in the absence of being better taught by yourselves or 
other practical friends, I shall do the like again. 
1 first placed a cord on the right hind leg, which was then 
brought forward by an assistant and held firm, whilst I 
divided the tendons above the os calcis, and detached the 
limb at the hock-joint. The same plan was pursued with the 
opposite leg. Room being thus obtained, I was enabled, after 
a good deal of trouble, to put a cord around the right fore 
leg and bring it forwards. The other limb was obtained with 
less difficulty. I next made an incision through the whole 
length of the abdomen and removed the viscera, thus still 
further diminishing to a great extent the size of the foetus, 
and which enabled me to depress the stumps of the limbs 
sufficiently to prevent injury to the rectum or vagina of the 
mare during the further removal of the foetus. The mare was 
convalescent in the course of a few davs. 
%• 
Position. —This, as a rule, should be left to the judgment 
of the operator. Cases occasionally occur which justify 
means which at other times might be censurable. We read, 
for example, of some persons recommending casting, or 
placing the patient on her back, with the legs secured to a 
