124 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



Retention of urine may generally be relieved by introducing 

 a gum elastic catheter through the urethra into the bladder, or 

 by simply removing any obstruction that may exist within the 

 former. 



Cases now and then occur in which, from some obstruction 

 within the urethra, the catheter cannot be introduced ; we have 

 never met with such a case, however, but have generally suc- 

 ceeded — though for some time baffled — through the means 

 of patience and a well-oiled catheter, in accomplishing our 

 object. 



In case of failing to reach the bladder with the flexible cathe- 

 ter, there are two operations proposed, one or the other of which 

 is now and then performed. One is called cutting through the 

 peringeum* into the urethra. The operation is performed by 

 first introducing a catheter within the urethra, which must be 

 pushed forward until it can be felt in the perinceum. A whale- 

 bone staff, flattened and grooved at the end, is preferred by sur- 

 geons to the former. The next step in the operation is to make 

 an incision through the integuments and subcellular tissue into 

 the urethra ; the bladder can then be reached and its contents 

 evacuated through a straight or slightly curved hollow tube. 

 The gum elastic catheter used on the human subject may answer 

 in lieu of a better article. 



The other operation referred to is termed " tapping the blad- 

 der." There are two methods of performing this ; one consists 

 in puncturing the bladder through the walls of the rectum, 

 and the other consists in penetrating the bladder through the 

 muscles of the abdomen. Either method is attended with some 

 danger, even when practised by men of great veterinary acquire- 

 ments. The author considers puncturing the bladder after this 

 fashion equivalent to a sentence of death. The former opera- 

 tion, provided an operation be needed, is the most safe, and can 

 be performed by any one possessing a knowledge of surgical 

 anatomy. If the case is evidently one that can be medicinally 

 relieved, give the following : — . 



* Perinceum, the space just below the anus, denned in the mare as the space 

 between the anus and vagina. 



