62 Journal of Agriculture. [8 Jan., 1907. 



the pressure will impede the flow of blood, and distend the vein. The 

 vein is opened either with a lancet or fleam. When using the lancet 

 the skin is first cut and the vein exposed, the lancet being then inserted 

 lengthways of the vein. With the fleam the skin and vein are 

 incised at the same time, the fleam blade being placed lengthways 

 along the distended vein, and given a smart stroke with a billet of wood 

 or other solid instrument. When sufficient blood has exuded (about a 

 gallon is usually considered a fair bleeding), the strap is loosened and the 

 blood at once ceases to flow the current being now unimpeded, it passes 

 direct along the \'ein. The wound should be closed by a pin suture — 

 made by inserting a pin through the lips and tying it by v/inding horse 

 hair round the ends. 



C^SARiAN Operation. 



The Caesarian operation, so called because of the tradition that Julius 

 Caesar was brought into the world in this artificial way, or, as Shakes- 

 peare has it, "ripped untimely from his mother's womb," is performed 

 on domestic animals, most frequently on small bitches whose alliance with 

 dogs of larger size has resulted in the formation of foetuses too large to 

 be born in the natural way. It may also be performed with success in 

 those cases in which the passage is so tumified and swollen as to prevent 

 natural parturition, and also in many cases of difficult parturition, in 

 which malformations or monstrostites are known or suspected. In difficult 

 parturition of the sow, either from misplacement or abnormality of the 

 foetuses or from maternal weakness, the Caesarian operation is very fre- 

 quently successful, not onlv in preserving the lives of the young, but in 

 the majority of cases, of the mother also. 



The operation is best perfornied under chloroform, and the instruments 

 and apparatus required are a scalpel, probe-pointed bistuory, and scissors, 

 probe director, suture needles, catgut, broad linen bandage, and a large 

 calico sheet, all rendered aseptic. 



The animal should be laid on its side with the hind limbs tied and 

 drawn backwards. The abdomen and teats must be washed and rendered 

 aseptic in the usual manner. A horizontal incision from 3 to 5 inches 

 long is then made in the abdomen, from \ inch to i inch above the line 

 of demarcation formed by the mammary glands, any large vessels cut being 

 either twisted or ligatured. The peritoneum is then punctured with the 

 finger, and the opening enlarged as required with the scissors. The 

 intestines are then pushed forward and the uterus brought outside and 

 laid on the calico sheet previously soaked with creolin solution. The 

 uppermost horn of the womb is then incised lengthways for 3 or 4 inches, 

 and the fcetuses contained in it, with their membranes, extracted. The 

 hand is tlien passed into the womb through the incision, and the foetuses 

 contained in the other horn similarly removed. Any blood clots and 

 torn membranes should also be removed, and the womb carefully cleaned 

 with antiseptic solution. The incision in the wall of the womb is then 

 sutured with aseptic catgut, and the organ returned inside the abdominal 

 cavity. Concerning the external wound, the abdominal muscles and the 

 skin should be stitched separately. This wound should be dusted over with 

 an antiseptic powder, and the broad linen bandages then applied as a 

 compress for six or seven davs, during which the diet should consist of 

 milk, water, and other light foods. 



