ed to bring away the whole of the contents of the womb
with comparative ease. Four pups were extracted; and while I
compared them with the little animal from which they had
been removed, it required the evidence of my senses to
convince me that the disproportioned mass had been forced
through the narrow passage of the Italian greyhound's
vagina. The pups were all dead. Each bore the well-marked
character of the Russian, and by their size indicated their
sire: nor was that size decreased by their having been
retained a week beyond their usual period.

"So far my labor was accomplished; but the appearance of the
bitch indicated that all had been done to little purpose.
The pulse began to decrease in number, and, nevertheless,
continued hard and jerking--the eyes became fixed--the jaw
closed--the head pendulous--and all the symptoms of
approaching death were exhibited. I tried to support the
system; but the poor animal died in spite of every
attention, and the examination after death showed the womb
to be intensely inflamed.

"It was with some anxiety that I looked for injuries and
abrasions, scarcely deeming it possible the violence I had
necessarily employed had not lacerated the delicate
structure with which the instrument had been in contact. Not
a mark which I could attribute to the crotchet was to be
discovered. I have seen fearful wounds made by the forceps
used to deliver the bitch; but here, in the most desperate
case of the kind which I had ever undertaken, was not a
scratch or a bruise to be detected.

"I have since confirmed the indications of utility which
were given by the crotchet on the first occasion of its
employment; and had I not received such proofs in its favor
as appeared to be conclusive, I should, perhaps, on the
results of a few cases only, have hesitated to introduce it
to general notice. Besides the instances before alluded to,
I have employed the instrument on four occasions--three
times in my own practice, and once at the request of a
practitioner, whose name it is desired I should conceal. Two
of the cases were successful, so far as the bitches were
concerned; one, which was evidently sinking when brought to
me, was delivered of a pup in a decomposed state, and died
five hours afterwards, the post-mortem displaying acute
per