178 



Animal Castration 



Fig. 157 — E, Muscular Fibers of Internal obliiiue and Kxternal Oblique Slightly Divided; 

 F, F, External Oblique Abdominal Muscle; G, G, Lips of Skin Incision. 



remaining portion of the abdominal wall (external oblique and in- 

 ternal oblique abdominal muscles and peritoneum) . With fingers 

 this perforation (A, Fig. 158) is enlarged by tearing the fibers of 

 the external oblique apart B, B, and at the same time those of the 

 internal oblique C, C are separated in the opposite direction until 

 the whole hand is admitted. When the hand is withdrawn the 

 muscular fibers anatomically come together (see Fig. 157) and 

 practically close the wound with exception of the skin incision. 

 With three interrupted sutures the skin incision is closed and the 

 operation completed (see Fig. 159). 



This method of making flank incision far excels in every re- 

 spect the one which requires cutting through the abdominal mus- 

 cles. When these muscle fibers are cut you have a large gaping 

 wound which requires weeks and oftentimes months for healing. 



