282 OPERATIONS ON BONES. 



of the mutilation to which he has been subjected. We leave the 

 elastic band in place for from twenty-four to thirty-six hours, pos- 

 sibly loosening it once dming that time, or tightening it, if any 

 oozing of blood is discovered, and removing it entirely as soon as 

 it becomes safe to do so. 



The stump generally needs no special care, except in cases of 

 possible complications which may follow the operation. The am- 

 putation of the tail by flaps is also performed by some veterinarians 

 with great success, this mode leaving a wound which generally heals 

 very rapidly and without the ordinary possibility of comj^Ucation. 



Among these are, first, hemorrhage. The occurrence of this 

 is an evidence that the hemostasia has been imperfect, proba- 

 bly the cauterization has not been sufficiently thorough; or the 

 torsion of the arteries has been insufficient ; or the Hgature has 

 been loosely tied. This accident requires a repetition of the man- 

 ipvdation, and perhaps another cauterization or torsion or ligature. 

 With the apphcation of our elastic band this can scarcely ever oc- 

 cur. If it does, another turn of the band will complete the work. 



Bad aspect of the Stump. — The amputation of the tail by sec- 

 tion through the continuity of the bone, as commonly happens 

 when the tail-cutters have been used, leaves in the center of the 

 wound a projecting portion of a vertebrae, which is usually bm-nt 

 by the cautery, when this has been used. As the resiilt of this, 

 and surrounding the mortified bone, large granulations rapidly 

 appear, overlapping the circiilar edges of the wound, and char- 

 acterized by an abundant discharge. The necrotic bone must 

 then be amputated and the granulations heavily cauterized with 

 caustics of the potential kind ; the saturated solution of chloride 

 of zinc making an excellent prescription for the purpose required. 

 To obviate this complication the operator will do well, when any 

 portions of vertebras have been left in the stiimp, to remove the 

 fragments with the bone forceps rather than to wait for their re- 

 moval by the natural process of necrosis. We have never encoun- 

 tered these compiications when using the elastic band, being 

 careful to amputate at the articulation of the vertabrse. The 

 powdered di'essings we have used have always kept the granulations 

 under control. 



Multiple Abscesses. — We have met these once, as the result 

 of the presence of a very thick scab, which prevented the escape 

 of the underljdng suppuration. 



