70 
PURE BRED DRAFT HORSES 
“The lymphoid Wharton jelly, which fills and rounds out the space 
between the amniotic sheath of the umbilic cord and the vessels, is 
determined feebly by a very loose, frail connective tissue. Following 
physiologic rupture, the jelly quickly oozes away. There remains in 
the umbilic stump the vein, the amniotic sheath, and any remnant of 
Wharton jelly not yet escaped. The circulation in the stump ceases at 
once; the lymph, serum, and other liquids in the necrotic stump ooze 
away; the stump desiccates and hardens; and the body tissues beyond 
are hermetically sealed. Beneath the desiccated stump, healing proceeds 
rapidly and perfectly, and within a few days the necrotic mass drops 
away, leaving an intact surface. 
“Occasionally there are variations in promptness and exact position of 
the rupture of the umbilic cord. Cases have been recorded where it has 
given way immediately against the umbilicus, but these accidents are 
very rare and apparently accompanied by little, if any danger. A com¬ 
moner deviation from the normal rupture of the cord is its giving w r ay at 
a point too remote from the abdomen, so that in some cases we find the 
navel stump of the foal . . . five or six inches in length. This leads 
to two dangers. The extra length of the cord prevents the rapid escape 
of the Whartonian jelly and the retraction of the umbilic arteries from 
the exterior; infection and putrefaction occur in the cord, which may 
lead to an inflammation of the veins, arteries or urachus, thereby imperil¬ 
ling greatly the life of the fetus. In other cases, when the cord is too 
long, it may be trampled upon or become otherwise caught, and the 
fetus, in struggling, may tear it away too close to the umbilicus, and 
make a fresh wound, inviting infection. 
“Two conflicting courses in the care of the navel stump are advised 
by veterinary obstetrist, with and without ligation. I prefer either to 
allow the cord to be ruptured naturally or to imitate and supplement 
nature with antisepsis and artificial desiccation. If the cord has not 
ruptured spontaneously, or if the stump is too long, it is to be ruptured 
at the proper point by linear tension. The cord is grasped at the point 
where it is desired to sever it, with the thumb and index of each hand 
and, by drawing the hands apart, is torn asunder between them. If the 
cord is too strong, one may facilitate the rupture with the thumb nail, or 
by scraping the cord in two with a dull scalpel. 
“After the cord has been divided, the Wharton jelly and all fluids 
should be pressed out of the remaining stump as completely as possible, 
by grasping it close against the umbilicus, between the thumb and finger, 
and then drawing downward, forcing the fluids out from the broken end. 
This operation is to be carried under strict antiseptic precautions, and 
as soon as completed there should be applied a desiccating antiseptic 
pow r der, consisting of almost any reliable antiseptic of a character which 
will not prove caustic to the surrounding parts. Such an antiseptic 
powder may be composed of equal parts of alum, tannin, and oxide of 
zinc, or of equal parts of tannin and iodoform. A variety of antiseptics 
may be selected . . . The essential point is thorough antisepsis and 
prompt desiccation of the stump. It is aimed simply to second the efforts 
of nature to bring about aseptic desiccation of the stump. The applica¬ 
tion of the desiccant antiseptic powder is advised as soon as possible 
after birth, to be repeated every hour or two until the desiccation of the 
stump is complete. 
“Many veterinary obstetrists advise that the cord be ligated then 
divided beyond the ligature; others advise that two ligatures be applied 
and the division be made between the two. Some suggest that the 
ligated fetal stump should later be frequently washed with a liquid 
antiseptic, and thus guarded against serious infection. It is evident that, 
if antiseptic solutions are applied with sufficient frequency and thorough¬ 
ness, they may accomplish their purpose of preventing putrefaction of 
