TO 
G. A. JOHNSON. 
The indications for the use of anaesthetics may be summed 
upas follows: When the animal is vicious, when the mal- 
presentation is of such a character as to render delivery very 
difficult and prolonged. These conditions of course can only 
be ascertained on examination, consequently the first step 
should always be to make an examination ; then if it is advisa¬ 
ble to use an anaesthetic, place a casting harness on the animal, 
then allow her to lie down ; when down then draw up the 
ropes and securely fasten them ; then administer the chloro¬ 
form (the anaesthetic I prefer) until profound relaxation is 
effected ; loosen the ropes so that the animal may be put in 
nearly as natural a position as possible, then begin the work 
of correcting the malpresentation. 
In the majority of cases it will be necessary to keep 
the animal in a profound state of anassthesia but a.short time, 
for by removing the chloroform when the most difficult part 
of the malpresentation has been corrected, the animal will be 
so far recovered from the effects of the chloroform, that when 
the foetus is in a correct position the natural pains will have 
returned to assist in the expulsion. 
I have used chloroform in a number of cases without ex¬ 
periencing any bad results following its use. 
There are many other points that will come up in connec¬ 
tion with this portion of the subject, as to the different pres¬ 
entations, etc., yet I trust that they can be more advantage¬ 
ously brought out by discussion than in a paper, so I will 
next give you a few thoughts relative to the after-treatment 
of difficult parturition and retained placenta. 
It was my misfortune to lose most of first cases of difficult 
parturition, either by septicaemia, metritis, or metroperiton¬ 
itis ; this loss stimulated me to try some new line of treat¬ 
ment, taking into consideration the pathology of the affection 
therapia, and the fact that in all the cases of metritis that I 
have met with, the uterus was in a relaxed condition. I began 
the use of ergot in the after-treatment, and now I usually give 
one or more doses of ergot after delivery has been accom¬ 
plished, or after removing a retained placenta. My reasons 
for using this drug are as follows: In a case of difficult cleliv- 
