ABSTRACTION OF BLOOD, OR BLEEDING. 595 



parts has occasioned a serious haemorrhage to occur : it 

 may prove a fatal one if the artery proper to the part be 

 divided incompletely. The palatine artery and nerve run 

 near each other, on each side of the roof of the mouth, 

 so as to divide the inner surface of the hard palate into 

 three nearly equal portions. No other than a direct divi- 

 sion of the vein should ever be made ; therefore, when 

 bleeding is determined on at this place, do it by plunging 

 a lancet or even a penknife in a direct line across the 

 rugae, one inch tvithin the mouth, exactly between the middle 

 and second nippers ; there these vessels form a curve, which 

 curve will then be divided, and will then yield three or 

 four pints of blood. If the instrument enter too much on 

 one side, as about the middle of the second nipper, then a 

 partial and longitudinal division of the artery may be made, 

 and an alarming haemorrhage may follow. In this case the 

 section must be enlarged and deepened inwardly, that is, 

 away from the teeth ; which completely severs the vessel, 

 and its retraction will stop the haemorrhage. A moderate 

 or slight flow of blood from the palate may be obtained by 

 light scarifications of the rugae : but all bleedings here, 

 except under circumstances of the most urgent necessity, 

 had better be avoided. 



Bleeding by the toe is also arterio-phlebotomy. By no 

 means cut out a portion of the sole at the point of the frog, 

 which frequently occasions abscess ; but with a very fine 

 drawing-knife cut down exactly in the line of union between 

 the crust and the sole ; then, by puncturing the part with a 

 lancet, a vast flow of blood may be obtained, the benefits of 

 which in some cases are very marked, particularly in acute 

 founder. If the blood should not flow with sufficient free- 

 dom, place the foot in warm water : the bleeding finished, 

 cover the puncture with some tow and a little tar, and 

 lightly tack on the shoe. There are, however, other 

 methods of bleeding from the toe. Mr. Maver uses a draw- 

 ing-knife with a long curve, so that one sweep of the blade 

 may cut a piece out of the foot. This appears to us bad 

 practice, as it leaves nature a space to fill up, instead of a 

 simple incised wound to heal. Others take away none of 

 the horn, but merely make a slit through the outer cover- 

 ing on to the vascular portion of the foot. The flap of horn 



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