Complete Treatise on the mare and foal at the time of delivery, with illustrations. / Also on cows and calves, with stallion and mare, when diseased by Gonorrhea (clap) or Pox, also Diarrhea and Costiveness in Colts.

by Conrad Mitchell

PLATE VII.

[The above Engraving] represents the foal with the hind feet foremost. They will generally be projected against the upper part of the entrance. It is best to extract them in this position, as turning them is almost impossible. The head will remain so far behind, that it cannot be reached. By keeping the membrane or skin properly over the foal, there will be but little difficulty experienced in extracting it. The foal should sometimes be drawn downward toward the feet of the mare, and then upwards towards the tail, frequently turning it half way round, and then back again. The foal will necessarily be dead.

Many cases of this kind will occur in a neighborhood in the course of twenty years.

PLATE VIII.

[The above Engraving] represents a foal which has died from some cause or other about nine days ago, the mare wanting the proper pains to deliver it. The foal is now bloated to such an extent, that it is in a condition to rupture the womb, and the hand can not be passed around the foal. It is an utter impossibility to extract it in the usual way. The operator must procure a knife, very straight in the blade, from twelve to fifteen inches in length, wrap the whole blade in a piece of muslin, take the point of the knife in his left hand, turning the edge downward, put his hand in the entrance of the womb and run it down until he reaches the chest of the foal. He must then introduce the right hand, grasp the handle, and hold it firm; then with the left hand he will slip the muslin from the blade, and with the first finger of the left hand find the spot where the windpipe comes out of the chest. After the point of the knife is set, the right hand must force the blade, to its full length if possible, through the Diaphragm, and then withdraw it. The left hand must retain its hold upon the muslin during the entire operation, and as the blade is withdrawn from the foal, it must again be carefully wrapped around the knife, the left hand seizing the point in the same manner as when it was introduced. After the arm holding the knife is withdrawn, a very nauseous gas will escape, and in a short time the front feet may be reached, then the head, after which the operation will proceed as described in the foregoing pages.