278 



A DICTIONARY. 



the stroke, and tlie puncture may be made 

 in any place but where we wish. The hair 

 being fust wetted and smoothed, and the 

 fleam being retained in the left hand, the 

 unemployed fingers pressing on the vein so 

 as to fix and swell the vessel ; let the point 

 rest exactly in the middle of the swelling ; 

 strike the fleam suflficiently hard to penetrate 

 the skin and vein. A blood-stick is prefer- 

 able for the purpose of striking the fleam : 

 there is a vibration between two hard bodies 

 when they meet, which, in this instance, is 

 favorable to a quick and moderate puncture 

 of the vein. After the vein has been 

 opened, moderate pressure with the edge of 

 the can which catches the blood is sufficient 

 to keep up the flow: it may also be en- 

 couraged by putting a finger within the 

 horse's mouth. The requisite quantity of 

 blood being drawn, remove the can. The 

 remaining process of securing the vessel is 

 of equal importance. The sides of the 

 orifice are first to be brought in apposition, 

 without pinching them, and without draw- 

 ing them from the vein : the same cautions 

 should also be observed when the pin is in- 

 troduced : let it be small, with an irregular 

 point, and when inserted wrap round it a 

 few hairs or a little tow. 



" Common, however, as this operation is, 

 and qualified as every one thinks himself 

 to perform it, yet there are very serious acci- 

 dents which do arise occasionally. It has 

 occurred that the carotid artery has become 

 penetrated. When the puncture has been 

 made through the vein, the accident is 

 known immediately by the forcible and 

 pulsatory gush of florid arterial and dark 

 venous blood together. In one instance of 

 this kind, which occurred to a French prac- 

 titioner, he immediately thrust his finger 

 into the opening through the vein, and 

 thus plugged up the artery, intending to 

 wait for assistance. In this state he re- 

 mained, we believe, an hour or more ; when, 

 removing his finger, to his surprise, he found 

 the haemorrhage had ceased, and did not 

 again return. In another case, where an 

 English practitioner accidentally opened 

 the carotid, he placed a compress on the 



orifice, and had relays of men to hold it 

 there for eight-and-forty iiours ; when it was 

 found the bleeding had stopped. The 

 admission of air is also another serious ac- 

 cident that now and then attends bleeding : 

 it sometimes happens from the sudden re- 

 moval of the fingers or blood-can, or what- 

 ever was used to distend the vessel by ob- 

 structing the return of the blood : this being 

 suddenly taken away, allows the escape of 

 the blood toward the heart, and occasions 

 a momentary vacuum, the air being heard 

 to rush with a gurgling noise into the vein 

 through the orifice ; it then mixes with the 

 blood, and occasions, in some instances, al- 

 most immediate death. The animal begins 

 to tremble ; he next staggers, and finally 

 falls in a state of convulsion : if the quan- 

 tity of air taken in has been considerable, 

 death ensues. The remedy must, therefore, 

 be instantaneous, and consists in again 

 opening the orifice, or making a new one, 

 to gain an immediate renewed flow of 

 blood, which will, in most cases, renovate 

 the horse, who has been found afterwards 

 to be tormented with an intolerable itching. 



Opiates. — (See Narcotic.) 



Opium. — A narcotic vegetable poison. 

 Mr. Coleman " thought, from some experi- 

 ments made at the veterinary coUege, that 

 opium has no apparent influence over the 

 nervous system of the horse, and that it 

 does not alleviate pain." Dr. "White says, 

 " I think that opium, as to its effect on the 

 horse, does not possess that soothing ano- 

 dyne and soporific quality for which it is 

 justly distinguished in human medicine." 

 Opium always tends to depress the vital 

 organs in proportion to its quantity. 



Opodeldoc, or Soap Liniment. — A so- 

 lution of soap and camphor in spirits of 

 rosemary. 



Optic Nerve. — The nerve on which 

 sight depends. 



Orbit. — The socket of the eye is thus 

 named. 



Organic. — A disease is said to be or- 

 ganic when any particular organ of the body 

 is affected. 



Ossification. — Ligaments and cartila- 



