OOPHORECTOMY— CHARLIER'S OPERATION, 



^55 



guarded bistoury (Fig. 263), without using a speculum; whilst Richter, in 

 order to avoid injuring the rectum, recommended forming a fold in the 

 upper wall of the vagina, and incising this with a bistouri cache- {listened 

 to a long arm, or with special long scissors. Hurliman also dispensed 

 with the speculum, and to escape injuring the rectum pressed the 

 lower wall of the vagina downwards towards the bladder. Ostertag 

 recommends incising only the mucosa, and breaking through the 

 muscular and serous coats with the finger. 



Danger of injury to the rectum is not great provided the above- 

 described precautions are observed. 



When twisting off the ovaries, the lower, thicker portion of the 



Fig. 260. — Longitudinal section in a vertical plane through the urino-genital 

 organs of a cow. 

 o. Left ovary, l.h. Left horn of uterus, u. Uterus, b.u.l. Broad uterine 

 ligament. c. Neck. v. Vagina. bl. Bladder. UR. Urethra. u.v. Valve 

 covering the opening of urethra. R. Rectum. p. Section of the pelvis. .\.w. 

 Abdominal wall. e.S. Excavatio superior. e.r. Excavatio recto-vaginalis. 

 E.v. Excavatio vesico-vaginalis. e.i. Excavatio inferior. 



ovarian ligament may be cut through wath long scissors (Fig. 264) and 

 the rest divided b}' torsion. Special forceps have been invented to fix 

 the ligament. Colin uses for this purpose small iron clams (Fig. 269). 

 The ovarian ligament is grasped with one or other of these instru- 

 ments, and the ovary removed with the hand. Should the ovary still be 

 adherent after twenty or thirty rotations, the ligament may be scraped 

 through by means of a steel finger-stall, which, however, is seldom 

 needed, torsion being usually sufficient. Of late years the ecraseur 

 has been largely employed for removing the ovaries, but it must be of 

 greater length than usual ; it greatly facilitates operation. The 



