6. The indicator needle is at times faulty, as happened to us twice, in cases of delivery at the superior strait. Here the indicator approached the vulva, but although we followed it in our traction, we could not budge the head, and were obliged finally to resort to the classic forceps, and ex tracted the head at the first attempt. The same thing happened to Perak at the Clinic, in a case of persistent occiput posterior.
7. In posterior positions rotation occurs less readily than with the clas sic forceps. Both the handles and the rods must be seized together if we wish to rotate artificially.
Such are the objections we make to Tarnier's forceps. Let us add, fur ther, that, notwithstanding the assertion of its greatest advocates, it does endanger the integrity of the perineum as much as the classic forceps. We have seen an instance where the instrument was being used by one of Tarnier's most distinguished pupils. It is evident, indeed, that we are less enthusiastic in regard to Tarnier's instrument than his pupils, but we still recognize its utility in the cavity. Once the head has passed the superior strait, it is an excellent instrument, possessing over the clas sic forceps the superior advantages of having an indicator needle, and of requiring less traction force. At the level of the superior strait, when the head is largely engaged, it may also be of great use. But when the
head is but little engaged at the superior strait or entirely above, we pre fer the classic forceps. We have far more confidence in ourselves, we fear less the danger of slipping and the risks implied, for we know at once when the blades are beginning to slip.
We believe, hence, that we ought not to give up, as entirely as the younger French practitioners would have us, the classic forceps which has perfectly done its duty. The accoucheur will do well to have both in his obstetric bags. Indeed Tarnier's last model being simply the clas sic forceps with attachable traction rods, it might be used indifferently. [This is what has been aimed at recently by Wells, of New York, who devised a traction rod which is applicable to the Eliot forceps. We have personally never tried Wells' device, but in appearance it would seem to possess the properties of the Tarnier instrument, and we have been in formed that it has practically fulfilled its purpose, that of an axis-tractor.
Lusk, of New York, has modified Tarnier's original model, by having the blades made lighter, and shaping them somewhat like Wallace's in strument. He has thus made the application of the blades in contracted pelves a simpler matter. He has also improved the manner of adjustment of the traction rods to the traction bar.—Ed.]