resentation of the calf, its back being turned downward or to
one side in place of upward toward the spine of the dam; from the bending
backward of one or more limbs or of the head into the body of the womb;
from presentation of the back, shoulder, or croup, all four limbs being
turned back; from presentation of all four feet at once; from obstruction
caused by an extra head or extra limbs, or double body on the part of the
offspring (Pl. XIX); from dropsy or other disease of the calf; from
excessive or imperfect development of the calf; from the impaction of twins
into the passages at the same time; or at times it may be from the mere
excessive volume of the fetus.

GENERAL MAXIMS FOR THE ASSISTANT CONCERNING DIFFICULT PARTURITION.

Do not interfere too soon. "Meddlesome midwifery is bad" with animals as
with women. After labor pains set in, give a reasonable time for the water
bags to protrude and burst spontaneously, and only interfere when delay
suggests some mechanical obstruction. If there is no mechanical
obstruction, let the calf be expelled slowly by the unaided efforts of the
cow. Bruises and lacerations of the passages and flooding from the
uncontracted womb may come from the too speedy extraction of the calf. When
assistance is necessary, the operator should dress in a thick flannel shirt
from which the sleeves have been cut off clear to the shoulders. This
avoids danger of exposure and yet leaves the whole arm free and
untrammeled. Before inserting the hand it and the arm should be smeared
with oil, lard, or vaseline, care being taken that the oil or lard is
fresh, neither salted nor rancid, and that it has been purified by boiling
or rendered antiseptic by the addition of a teaspoonful of carbolic acid to
the pound. This is a valuable precaution against infecting the cow by
introducing putrid ferments into the passages and against poisoning of the
arm by decomposing discharges in case the calving is unduly protracted.
When labor pains have lasted some time without any signs of the water bags,
the dropping in at the sides of the rump, and the other preparations for
calving being accomplished, the hand should be introduced to examine. When
the water bags have burst and neither feet nor head appear for some time,
examination should be made. When one fore foot only and the head appear, or
both fore feet without the head, or the head without the fore feet,
examine. If one hind foot appears without the other, m