MANAGEMENT OF THE FOAL 
71 
the cord, with its accompanying dangers. This is neither as efficacious 
nor as convenient as the preceding plan. The presence of the ligature 
tends to prevent the retraction of the stumps of the umbilic arteries, and 
keeps them in a position where they are far more exposed to the possibil¬ 
ities of infection. Ligation is wholly superfluous as a protection against 
hemorrhage. I have known of but one fatality from umbilic hemorrhage. 
This occurred in a foal in which the cord was ligated and excised. One 
must recognize clearly the far greater tendency toward hemorrhage from 
an artery when it has been divided by cutting instead of by linear ten¬ 
sion, scraping or other kind of mutilation. If, in addition to this the 
artery is not allowed to retract or its proper retraction is interfered 
with, the tendency to bleeding is greatly increased. 
‘‘Ligation of the umbilic cord by an ignorant layman or careless vet¬ 
erinarian is one of the most dangerous interferences with a wound known 
to surgery . . . The Whartonian jelly is imprisoned by the ligature 
within the almost impervious amniotic sheath of the cord. The ligature 
also imprisons the blood in the umbilic veins. The imprisoned fluid 
furnishes an excellent culture medium for decomposition bacteria; the 
dirty hands of the operator, the dirty ligature, or the flies attracted by 
the moist cord furnish the infection. The ligature may detain the ar¬ 
teries, veins, and urachus in the infected area, and eventually these may 
be involved in a more or less extensive infection causing a series of 
highly fatal maladies. 
. . In the foal, with the long cord, the meddler may tie the un¬ 
broken cord, incarcerate and detain the urachus and umbilic arteries, 
and imprison the Whartonian jelly and the blood within the umbilic 
vein or elsewhere. Consequently umbilic infection is far more common 
in foals than in other newborn animals. 
“. . . The urthera, anus, and other external openings should be 
observed, to see whether they are normal. 
“. . . It should be learned whether the various excretions are taking 
place normally. It must be learned that the intestinal contents are being 
expelled normally. The chief concern is with the accumulated fetal 
feces, or meconium, in the large intestines. Normally, much of this 
should be expelled very shortly after birth and the evacuation repeated 
at frequent intervals until all has escaped. In some cases this does not 
occur . . . and symptoms of retention of the meconium follow. The 
early discharge of the meconium is also important because in many cases 
infection has existed in the uterine cavity, penetrated the amniotic cav¬ 
ity, been swallowed by the fetus, and stored up as a part of the meconium 
as in a cesspool. After birth, the accumulated infection tends to be¬ 
come active and cause scours and other serious affections of the new¬ 
born. It is highly important that the caretaker should see that the 
meconium is promptly expelled. If necessary, this should be favored by 
means of enemas of warm water, warm normal salt solution, or soda 
bicarbonate solution. The enemas should be continued until all hard pel¬ 
lets of meconium have come away and there follows instead a soft, pasty 
mass. The enema is best given by means of a hospital irrigator with a 
pure gum horse catheter attached. The catheter is gently insinuatel into 
the bowel for a distance of eighteen to twenty-four inches, while the 
nerna is flowing, and the enema continued and repeated until the object 
has been accomplished. 
“The question of food for the new-born animal should be considered 
early. It has been believed and taught that a weak foal . . . unable 
to get up, should be helped to its feet very promptly and assisted to the 
teat, or that milk should be drawn and fed to it. Such a young animal is 
sick and needs physic more than milk. A good rubbing, a comfortable 
place, and enemas to unload its bowels are worth far more than food. 
There should be no haste in getting the young to feeding. A pound of 
