cavity holding the brain, by reason
of the accumulation of liquid in the internal cavities (ventricles) of the
brain substance. The head back of the eyes rises into a great rounded ball
(Pl. XIX, figs. 4 and 5), which proves an insuperable obstacle to
parturition. The fore feet and nose being the parts presented, no progress
can be made, and even if the feet are pulled upon the nose can not by any
means be made to appear. The oiled hand introduced into the passages will
feel the nose presenting between the fore limbs, and on passing the hand
back over the face the hard rounded mass of the cranium is met with. A
sharp-pointed knife or a cannula and trocar should be introduced in the
palm of the hand and pushed into the center of the rounded mass so as to
evacuate the water. The hand is now used to press together the hitherto
distended but thin and fragile walls, and the calf may be delivered in the
natural way. If the enlarged head is turned backward it must still be
reached and punctured, after which it must be brought up into position and
the calf delivered.

If the hind feet present first, all may go well until the body and
shoulders have passed out, when further progress is suddenly arrested by
the great bulk of the head. If possible, the hand, armed with a knife or
trocar, must be passed along the side of the shoulder or neck so as to
reach and puncture the distended head. Failing in this, the body may be
skinned up from the belly and cut in two at the shoulder or neck, after
which the head can easily be reached and punctured. If in such case the
fore limbs have been left in the womb, they may now be brought up into the
passage, and when dragged upon the collapsed head will follow.

If the distention is not sufficient to have rendered the bony walls of the
cranium thin and fragile, so that they can be compressed with the hand
after puncture, a special method may be necessary. A long incision should
be made from behind forward in the median line of the cranium with an
embryotomy knife (Pl. XXI, fig. 1) or with a long embryotome (Pl. XX, fig.
3). By this means the bones on the one side are completely separated from
those on the other and may be made to overlap and perhaps to flatten down.
If this fails they may be cut from the head all around the base of the
rounded cranial swelling by means of a guarded chisel (Pl. XX, fig. 8) and
mallet, after which there will be no difficulty in causing them to
collapse.

DROPS