OPERATION FOR URETHRAL CALCULUS IN RUMTNANTS. 627 



curve, and can be reached most directly from the anterior surface of 

 the scrotum. As, however, it is less convenient to operate here, 

 most practitioners make the incision behind, and about a hand's- 

 breadth above the scrotum. For this operation the animal should 

 be cautiously cast and laid on the left side though quiet oxen may 

 be operated on standing. The right hind foot is drawn forward 

 with a cord, exposing the field of operation. 



After making sure by rectal examination that the bladder is 

 not ruptured, and having once more carefully determined the position 

 of the concretions by palpation, the skin is incised for 2 to 3 inches 

 in the direction of the urethra, either at the point where the greater 

 sensitiveness or hardness of the swelling indicates the obstruction 

 to be, or a hand's-breadth behind and above the scrotum. The 

 retractor penis muscle, which is much more developed in the ox 

 than in the horse, is then divided to the same extent. The urethra 

 can then be felt, and if one operates at the point where the calculi 

 are fixed the latter may be detected within it. After incising the 

 corpus cavernosum, and the urethra itself, the calculi are easily 

 removed. 



Where, however, the calculi are situated in the first bend of the 

 urethra {h) the retractor penis is divided, and an attempt made to 

 draw forward the penis with the hand ; the bulbo-cavernosus muscle 

 and urethra are then cut through, and the stones removed by pressure 

 with the fingers, or if necessary, by means of forceps. When single, 

 the stone sometimes becomes so firmly fixed in the swollen mucous 

 membrane that even the knife must be employed to free it. The 

 cut in the urethra should be as small as possible, to facilitate healing 

 and prevent stricture. Should the stone be the sole obstruction to 

 passage of urine, an immediate discharge occurs on its removal, partly 

 through the operation wound and partly from the orifice of the 

 urethra, but in any case it is necessary to examine the lower portion 

 of the urethra with a catheter, to discover whether other stones are 

 present and require removal. In oxen concretions often occur in 

 hundreds, resembling large tapioca grains. The urethral wound 

 need not be sutured, though Reichle and Pflug recommend inserting 

 a few silk sutures to assist healing ; Ciani suggests dividing the 

 urethra from the side, and closing it with close-set sutures, to prevent 

 infiltration of urine. The penis is then allowed to return to its natural 

 position. To prevent infiltration the outer wound is not sutured, 

 but it often occurs in spite of this precaution. Esser, therefore, 

 provides for escape of urine and wound discharges by passing a 

 drainage-tube forwards, and allowing its anterior end to project 



