TREATMENT 73 



tized, with chloroform or narcotized with 

 chloral. 



Preparation of the Field. — Scraping off the 

 dried pus encrusted over the shoulders, wash- 

 ing the skin with soap and hot water must pre- 

 cede the attention to the field itself, as other- 

 wise no effectual cleansing of the withers for 

 surgical work would be effectual. Preferably 

 this should be done on the day preceding the 

 oj^eration, and to prevent further soiling the 

 shoulders might be annointed with vaseline. 



The hair over the withers and on each side, 

 down no less than ten inches, is clipped and if 

 possible shaved. The mane is clipped off well 

 forward over the seat of the collar and the re- 

 maining mane is braided to prevent its tufts 

 from dangling into the wound as well as to 

 keep it free from pus during the after-treat- 

 ment. 



A good ablution with brisk friction of mer- 

 curic chlorid in the dilution of not less than one 

 part to fi\e himdred is much the best prepara- 

 tory disinfection of the skin along the line of 

 incision. The field might in addition be 

 painted with tinctin*e of iodin. Shaving the 

 mane hairs especially on the neck where the 

 skin is folded transversely is difficult and very 

 tedious as the folds are closed while the liead is 

 erect and as a painstaking shaving process pro- 



