— A spaniel bitch was brought to my infirmary to-day, who has been in great and constant pain since yesterday, making repeated but fruitless efforts to expel her puppies. She is in a very plethoric habit of body; her bowels are much confined, and she exhibits some general symptoms of febrile derangement, arising, doubtless, from her protracted labour. This is her first litter. Upon examination, no young could be distinctly felt.
Place her in a warm bath, and give her a dose of castor oil, morning and evening.
June 16
. — The bitch appears in the same state as yesterday, except that the medicine has operated freely upon the bowels, and the febrile symptoms have somewhat decreased. Her strainings are as frequent and distressing as ever. Take two scruples of the ergot of rye, and divide into six doses, of which let one be given every half hour.
In about ten minutes after the exhibition of the last dose of this medicine, she brought forth, with great difficulty, one dead puppy, upon taking which away from her, she became so uneasy that I was induced to return it to her. In about a quarter of an hour after this I paid her another visit: the puppy could not now be found; but a suspicious appearance in the mother's eye betrayed at once that she had devoured it. I immediately administered an emetic; and in a very short time the whole fœtus was returned in five distinct parts,
viz
., the four quarters and the head. After this, the bitch began to amend very fast; she produced no other puppy; and as her supply of milk was small, she was soon convalescent.
Twelve months afterwards she was again taken in labour, about eleven o'clock in the morning, and after very great difficulty, one puppy was produced. After this the bitch appeared in great pain, but did not succeed in expelling another fœtus, in consequence of which I was sent for about three o'clock, P.M. I found her very uneasy breathing laboriously; the mouth hot, and the bowels costive; but I could not discover any trace of another fœtus. She was put into a warm bath, and a dose of opening medicine was administered.
About five o'clock she got rid of one dead and two living puppies.
2d.