J18 



ESMABCH S BANDAGE 



Esmarch's bandage is most valuable when, in amputating limbs 

 in small animals or excising some very vascular organ like the 

 litems, one wishes to minimise bleeding. When properly applied 

 it enables operations to be performed as though on the dead body ; 

 no bleeding occurs, and all parts, the normal as well as the patho- 

 logically altered, are distinctly visible. It is an elastic bandage, 

 formed preferably of vulcanised rubber (though a fabric of rubber 



threads covered with cotton is some- 



.,--- - ^ times used), applied to the limb or 



,.-'" \ organ to be removed, commencing 



always at the periphery. The strong 



/ I pressure exercised by the spirals of 



the bandage as they advance over 

 the tissues gradually drives the con- 

 tamed blood towards the trunk. 

 When the parts to be excised have 

 thus been rendered bloodless a rubber 

 cord is applied with considerable 

 pressure immediately above the 

 the arteries and practically brings 

 The ends of the cord are secured 

 Fig. 154. The cord 



Fig. 154.— Catch for rubber cord 

 used with Esmarch's bandage. 



bandage. This compresses 



the local circulation to a standstill. 



by tying or preferably as shown in mg. 154. ine com 



stretched and slipped into the first of the incomplete cylinders ; 



is then carried once or twice around the limb, stretched tightly to 



Fig. 1o5. — Ligating an artery ; first stage. 



allow it to be inserted hi the second cylinder, and then sharply 

 released. Its elasticity causes it to be firmly held in position within 

 the cylinder. The bandage is then removed and the operation per- 

 formed below the cord. 



In veterinary practice Esmarch's method is not usually applied 

 in its entirety, the operator often being satisfied with the application 



