340 SURGICAL CASES. 



branch of veterinary practice. When it becomes necessary to 

 use the knife, the animal should be spared all useless torture. 

 In severe operations, humanity dictates the use of some anses- 

 thetic agent to render the animal insensible to pain. Chloro- 

 form is the most powerful of this class, and may be adminis- 

 tered with perfect safety, provided a moderate quantity of 

 atmospheric air is inhaled with or during its administration. 

 Sulphuric ether acts very feebly upon the horse, and cannot 

 therefore be successfully used. Chloric ether answers a very 

 good purpose, but pure chloroform is preferable. In minor 

 operations, the twitch, the side-hobble, or the foot-strap, is all 

 that is necessary. When a horse is to be cast for an operation, 

 force must be used for its accomplishment. The patent hob- 

 bles have been preferred for that purpose by veterinary sur- 

 geons generally, though the author prefers a modification of 

 the cast-rope and the patent hobbles. This improvement con- 

 sists in having a heavy, well-padded leathern collar, each layer 

 burned in with rosin, after the style of the old-fashioned fire- 

 buckets ; at the bottom of this collar a strong ring is attached, 

 secured by an iron band ; through this ring the rope is passed; 

 around the body a strong leathern band is buckled, which 

 connects with the top of the collar by a cross strap, which 

 keeps it in place ; a hobble band is placed upon each hind 

 fetlock, through the D of which the rope is passed ; on each 

 side of the collar a strong ring is firmly secured, through which 

 the rope also passes, the ends of which are then pulled upon 

 by one or two men on each side, and the animal let quietly 

 down. The author is convinced by experience that this ar- 

 rangement is far preferable to any hobble arrangement yet 

 seen. It is a mistaken idea that horses must be cast for every 

 little operation; ia truth, but few operations require it. 



