506 OPERATIONS ON THE CIRCULATORY SYSTEM. 



being quite large is cliosen in preference to the internal, wluch is 

 very small. The place of selection is the superior part of the 

 vem, when it nearly reaches the posterior border of the leg. A 

 bandage is applied to stop the hemorrhage. The cephalic might 

 be opened as it passes toward the interior third of the humerus, 

 the wound being closed by a stitch of twisted suture. 



ACCIDENTS OF BLOOD-LETTING. 



The operation of blood-letting may be followed by several 

 complications, some being of little importance, while others may 

 be sufficiently serious to compromise the life of the patient. 

 Among them may be named : The white and the slabbery bleed- 

 ing ; wounds of surrounding non- vascular organs ; the thrombus ; 

 inflammation of the vein, or j)hlebitis ; wound of the carotid, and 

 the introduction of air into the veins. Others, such as the lesions 

 of nerves, syncope, etc., are seldom, if ever, encountered in veter- 

 inary practice. 



1st — White and Slabbery Bleeding. 



It is a question whether these, properly speaking, should be 

 classed among the true sequelae of blood-letting. We already 

 alluded to them when describing the various methods of perform- 

 ing phlebotomy. They are often the result of the disposition of 

 the parts, the vein being deficient in size, or more deeply situated 

 than natural, and thus imbedded in the loose suiTOunding cellular 

 tissue ; or, perhaps, the cause is an imguarded movement of the 

 animal ; and it is often known to be the imperfect manipulation 

 of the surgeon in stiiking the fleam too lightly, or not vertically, 

 and so failing to bring the openings of the skin and the vein into 

 exact coaptation. 



These accidents are, however, of an unimportant character, 

 and are easily obviated by exercising more care and deliberation. 



2d — Wounds of Surrounding Non- vascular Organs. 



(a) Wounds of the Trachea. — The improper action of the 

 surgeon is generally chargeable with this accident. He may have 

 erred in using too large an instrument, or the error may have con- 

 sisted in making excessive j^ressure when ligating the neck with 

 the cord used to eff'ect the distension of the jugular. It is a rare 



