THE MODERN HOUSE DOCTOR. 373 



from the base of the tail, and a similar space should be left be- 

 tween the first and second, and second and third incisions. On 

 making the second incision, if the first has been sufficiently deep, 

 part of the muscle will protrude, which must be drawn out and 

 cut off. The bleeding is to be stopped by pledgets of tow firmly 

 bound on. The tail is now to be kept in an elevated position by 

 means of a cord tied to the end of it, and passed over a pulley 

 with a weight attached to the other end of the cord. It is need- 

 less to give a particular description of this part of the process. 

 as the apparatus may be seen in any horse dealer's stable, where 

 it is always kept ready. It will be necessary to keep the horse 

 in the pulleys from three weeks to a month. The morning after 

 the operation, the bandage must be loosened or cut through on 

 the back part of the tail, or severe inflammation may be the con- 

 sequence. The weight applied to raise the tail must at first be 

 moderate, not exceeding two or three pounds ; but about the 

 sixth day it may be increased to four or five pounds. No kind 

 of dressing is necessary during the process ; the loosened band- 

 ages will fall off about the third or fourth day, and leave large 

 gaping wounds, which will gradually fill up, and be completely 

 healed in three weeks. When the horse has been in the pulleys 

 about a week, he should be taken out for a short time, and led up 

 and down, in order to see in what manner he carries his tail. If 

 it is not sufficiently raised, it may be necessary to put the trans- 

 verse line, upon which the double pulley runs, a little farther 

 forward towards the head of the stall, that the tail may be 

 brought more over the horse's back; and should he carry it on 

 one side, the pulley must be so confined as to keep it on the op- 

 posite side for a sufficient time to make him carry it straight. .V 

 similar examination should be made daily, and he should have a 

 little exercise." 



The usual mode of operating in the United States, is to make 

 a sub-cutaneous section of the muscles, known as depi-essores 

 coccygis, the use of which are to depress the tail. The knife 

 is introduced as near to the anus as possible on one side of the 

 tail, between the bone and muscle ; then, with a sort of sawing 

 motion, — the back of the knife being towards the bones, — the 

 muscle is divided, which may be known by the edge of the knife 



