598 BLEEDING BY THE JUGULAR VEIN. 



just to puncture them and the vein ; then, by a sUght turn 

 of the wrist, cany the instrument obhquely forward to finish 

 the cut. For opening the smaller veins, the lancet should 

 always be used. In all but the practised hand, the fleam 

 is the safest for bleeding from the jugular ; it is always 

 prudent to have the eye of the horse covered : unless the 

 eye be covered, the horse will be likely to flinch at the 

 moment of the stroke, and the puncture may be made in 

 any place but where we wish. The hair being first wetted 

 and smoothed, and the fleam being retained in the left 

 hand, the unemployed fingers pressing on the vein so as to 

 fix and swell the vessel ; let the point rest exactly in the 

 middle of the swelling ; strike the fieam sufficiently hard to 

 penetrate the skin and vein. A blood-stick is prelerable 

 for the purpose of striking the fleam : there is a vibration 

 between two hard bodies when they meet, which, in this 

 mstance, is favourable to a quick and moderate puncture of 

 the vein. After the vein has been opened, moderate pres- 

 sure with the edge of the can which catches the blood is 

 sufficient to keep up the flow : it may also be encouraged 

 by putting a finger within the horse's mouth. The requi- 

 site quantity of blood being drawn, remove the can. The 

 remaining process of securing the vessel is of equal import- 

 ance. The sides of the orifice are first to be brought in 

 apposition, without pinching them, and without drawing 

 them from the vein : the same cautions should also be 

 observed when the pin is introduced : let it be small, with 

 an irregular point, and when inserted wrap round it a few 

 hairs or a little tow. 



Common, however, as this operation is, and qualified as 

 every one thinks himself to perform it, yet there are very 

 serious accidents which do arise occasionally. It has 

 occurred that the carotid artery has become penetrated. 

 When the puncture has been made through the vein, the 

 accident is known immediately by the forcible and pulsatory 

 gush of florid arterial and dark venous blood together. 

 In one instance of this kind, which occurred to a French 

 practitioner, he immediately thrust his finger into the open- 

 ing through the vein, and thus plugged up the artery, in- 

 tending to wait for assistance. In this state he remained, 

 we believe, an hour or more ; when, removing his finger, to 



