BLEEDING FROM THE JUGULAR. 



151 



or in a very thin stream. In such case operation should not be 

 repeated at the same point. Sometimes the blood at first flows 

 in a thick stream, but soon diminishes in spite of continued com- 

 pression. This is due to the skin having shpped to one side and 

 covered the wound in the vein, or to a fragment of subcutaneous 

 tissue having interposed itself. By slightly moving the skin or 

 the horse's head, or by inserting the finger in the animal's mouth 

 and so causing it to make chewing movements, the flow is restored. 

 Occasionally the vein is opened over a valve, which falls into the 

 wound and obstructs the stream. 



Fig. 180. — Bleeding with the spring 

 fleam ; off side. 



Fig. 181. — Bleeding with the spring fleam; 

 near side. 



Jets of bright red blood alternating with the darker stream show 

 that the carotid has been injured, but as a rule the opening in 

 that vessel is very small, and closes if pressure be removed, the 

 external wound be sutured, and a dressing applied, though some- 

 times an aneurysm or aneurysmal varix results. Should the opening, 

 however, be large the animal may even bleed to death, unless the 

 carotid be immediately ligated. The vessel should then be firmly com- 

 pressed by an assistant, the existing cutaneous wound enlarged for a 

 distance of three to four inches, the panniculus and connective tissue 

 divided, and the carotid exposed by blunt dissection. The artery should 



