INTEODUCTORY 11 



the incision and pushed toward the tail along the line indicated by 

 the parted fur, the point of the director running close under the 

 skin and the groove on the shaft lying next the skin. 



The skin can he rapidly divided by introducing the point of a 

 scalpel into the original cut and pushing it along the director, the back 

 of the point of course running in the groove in the director. The pro- 

 cess is repeated until the root of the tail is reached. Similar divisions 

 should be now made from the middle line of the body down the legs. 



When beginning to remove the skin, the student should lift up 

 with the forceps (held in the left hand) one of the corners formed at 

 the intersection of two cuts, and, with the scalpel held as a pen in the 

 right hand, divide the white, loose tissue or superficial fascia lying 

 in the ang-le between the skin and the muscles. After the skin is 



o 



loosened sufficiently the forceps may be put aside, and for the rest 

 of the process the skin may be held between the thumb and fingers 

 of the left hand. The nearer the cuts are to the under surface of 

 the skin, the cleaner the skin will be when removed, but the greater 

 will be the risk of cutting through it. The nearer the cuts are to the 

 underlying muscles, the more loose fascia will be left on the skin and 

 the greater will be the risk of cutting into the muscles. To skin 

 rapidly, the superficial fascia must be kept tight, so that it shall always 

 form a sheet stretching from the under surface of the skin to the upper 

 surface of the muscles. This can be accomplished by holding it fixed 

 with the ring finger and little finger of the right hand while cutting 

 with the thumb and the other two fingers, or the chain-hooks may be 

 used to hold it tense. 



In removing the skin preparatory to cleaning the skeleton it 

 matters little, of course, whether or not the skin be clean or to what 

 extent the muscles are cut ; but if the skinning be done with care, 

 experience and skill will be gained for use when careful work is 

 demanded. While skinning, the student should note the difference 

 in the thickness of the skin in different parts of the body, and that 

 it is in some places loosely attached and in other places bound down 

 firmly to the underlying structures. He may also recognize the pres- 

 ence of yellow fat, of blood-vessels and nerves, and of nodular masses, 

 which are glands of various kinds. 



Cleaning the Bones. It is first necessary to remove the viscera 

 contained within the abdominal and thoracic cavities. This can be 



