r and
cannula, introduced through the chest and diaphragm, or with a knife an
incision may be made between the first two ribs and the lungs and heart
cut or torn out, when the diaphragm will be felt projecting strongly
forward, and may be easily punctured. Should there not be room to
introduce the hand through the chest, the oiled hand may be passed along
beneath the breast bone and the abdomen punctured. With a posterior
presentation the abdomen must be punctured in the same way, the hand,
armed with a knife protected in its palm, being passed along the side of
the flank or between the hind limbs. It should be added that moderate
dropsy of the abdomen is not incompatible with natural delivery, the
liquid being at first crowded back into the portion of the belly still
engaged in the womb, and passing slowly from that into the advanced
portion as soon as that has cleared the narrow passage of the pelvis and
passed out where it can expand.

GENERAL DROPSY OF THE FETUS.--In this case the tissues generally are
distended with liquid, and the skin is found at all points tense and
rounded, and pitting on pressure with the fingers. In some such cases
delivery may be effected after the skin has been punctured at narrow
intervals to allow the escape of the fluid and then liberally smeared
with fresh lard. More commonly, however, it can not be reached at all
points to be so punctured nor sufficiently reduced to be extracted
whole, and resort must be had to embryotomy.

EMPHYSEMA, OR SWELLING OF THE FETUS WITH GAS.--This has been described
as occurring in a living fetus, but I have met with it only in the dead
and decomposing foal after futile efforts had been made for several days
to effect delivery. These cases are very difficult, as the foal is
inflated to such extent that it is impossible to advance it into the
passages, and the skin of the fetus and the walls of the womb and vagina
have become so dry that it is impracticable to cause the one to glide on
the other. The hair comes off any part that may be seized, and the case
is rendered the more offensive and dangerous by the very fetid liquids
and gases. The only resort is embryotomy, by which I have succeeded in
saving a valuable mare that had carried a colt in this condition for
four days.

CONTRACTIONS OF MUSCLES.--The foal is not always developed
symmetrically, but certain groups of muscles are liable to remain short,
or to shorten because of persistent spasmodic contra