This serious accident occasionally occurs some hours after birth. It arises from the cord being carelessly tied or from its being unusually large at birth and subsequently shrinking, so that the ligature ceases to close the blood-vessels.

To arrest the hemorrhage, the infant's clothes and flannel binder must be removed and the cord exposed; then a new ligature, composed of six strands of strong linen thread, must be applied half an inch nearer the body than the original one, and tied tightly enough to compress thoroughly the vessels, but not so tight as to cut through the cord.