American Veterinary college. 
369 
during the net of parturition, one fore-foot of feetus caught in 
the floor of vagina—the leg flexed sufficiently to allow the other 
fore-foot and head to protrude from the vulva. The attendant (a 
layman) seeing that the mare could not further deliver herself, 
went to her assistance, and by combined efforts of man and mare, 
paturition was completed and perineum ruptured. A veterinarian 
was immediately called, who united the torn edges of perineum 
with cat-gut sutures, which tore out in course of three or four 
days, and on date above mentioned mare and colt were sent to the 
hospital. On examination next morning found rupture not only 
of perineum proper, but of floor of rectum, roof of vagina and 
intermediate cellular tissue, extending nearly to cervix. The 
torn edges had retracted to either side and the cellular was much 
inlililated and swollen, so that on each side of cavity—-between 
edges of rectum and vagina—there was an extensive granulating 
surface, about eight inches long by two inches in width at ante¬ 
rior border, and external or posterior border (which presen¬ 
ted space from anus to superior commissure of vulva), of about 
three inches. An operation was performed more to satisfy the 
owner than anything else, in the following manner : The cavity 
was dilated by assistants, with large flat-bladed tenaculums, suffi¬ 
ciently for the operator to introduce his hand and pass suture 
through floor of uninjured rectum. One end of this suture was 
then passed through torn edge of rectum, on one side, about two 
inches posterior to uninjured portion, and the other end through 
opposite edge at point corresponding to first; before securing this 
another suture was passed on each side through the edges of rec¬ 
tum at or near first and also through the edges of vagina directly 
underneath ; both sutures were then drawn tight and secured. By 
this means the uninjured portion of rectum was drawn posteriorly 
about ten inches and secured. Three more interrupted sutures 
were placed in the roof of vagina and one in rectum near anus and 
three in perineum. The mare and colt were put in a large box 
stall and fed on milk, oatmeal and bran during the day. 
Sept. %1th .—This morning found sutures, excepting first two all, 
given way—untied—and the parts much more swollen. Decided 
to make one more attempt, so the stitches were renewed and se- 
