132 



OPERATIVE TECHNIQUE. 



In animals, however, this method of uniting wounds can only 

 be used in rare instances, partly because of the presence of hair, 

 partly because of the animal's resistance and the \-iolent contraction 

 of its muscles, especially of its panniculus muscle. If plaster is 

 applied, even in broad strips, over the hair it soon looses its hold, 

 and the wound gapes or the continuous pull tears out the hair 

 with a similar result. When the hair is shaved and the strips 

 applied directly to the skin, the}' are apt to become detached by 



the rapidh' growing new hair 

 before firm union of the wound 

 surfaces has taken place. 



The method of uniting 

 wounds by small hooks, pin- 

 cettes, etc., though widely 

 used in human surgery, is 

 useless in our patients. 



Bandages, however, can be 

 employed with greater success. 

 In man}' positions, for example 

 in the extremities, union can 

 be effected by using bandages 

 without the help of sutures ; 

 but the method is never 

 thoroughly reliable, for which 

 reason bandages are best 

 utilised to reinforce or assist 

 sutures, to neutralise excessive 

 tension and tearing out of the 

 threads, or to check move- 

 ment, and thus ensure the 

 most favourable conditions for 



Fig. 153. — Largu's suture 

 needle ; metal handle for 

 aseptic surgery. 



Fig. 154. 

 De Mooij's suture 

 needle all in 

 metal, for asep- 

 tic surgery. 



union. 



Little attention was for- 

 merl}' given to the proper use 



of sutures, and it was thought that in animals wounds seldom healed by 

 primary intention, the reason being that operators took little pains to 

 ensure antisepsis, and consequently the sutures rapidly tore out. All 

 this is now changed. Many of the contra-indications formerly given are 

 no longer recognised. In times past only fresh wounds were sutured, 

 and old wounds were always "freshened " before being united. It is 

 true that fresh wounds present the most favourable conditions for 

 healing by first intention, but it is also possible to bring together granu- 



