382 THE DOG IN DISEASE. 



it is to ourselves, by causing depression, and disturbance of 

 the nutrition generally ; while it is too much to expect of a 

 dog, as it is of a child, that it should comprehend the pur- 

 pose of the operation, except in the vaguest way at best ; 

 hence its future management may be very difficult. Dogs 

 are ready to forget pain that has been followed by plain 

 relief, but not cruelty. Ansesthetics had better be pushed 

 rapidly to complete anaesthesia. The operation should be 

 done as quickly as possible and the anaesthetic then re- 

 moved, so that recovery may be rapid. A mixture of ether 

 and chloroform, or of alcohol, ether, and chloroform, will 

 be found on the whole the most satisfactory, though always 

 demanding care in its use ; but in every case the ansesthetic 

 should be managed by one who is an expert, and he should 

 give his whole attention to this, and not watch the opera- 

 tion or anything else. Dogs do not bear prolonged anaes- 

 thesia of any kind well. 



Antisepsis. — Within the last twenty years surgery has 

 been revolutionized by the use of methods to prevent 

 putrefaction or kindred processes due to germs and other 

 causes in wounds. 



It is now regarded as highly important that all instru- 

 ments, and the hands of the operator, be rendered surgi- 

 cally clean — i. e., free from germs as well as all else that 

 can set up the processes referred to ; and as a result, 

 wounds made by the surgeon himself in operating heal 

 directly {first intention) very frequently, and abscesses 

 and the other evils referred to as the results of inflamma- 

 tion are rare. 



Antiseptic dressings are commonly employed. There 

 is no reason why the dog should not receive at the hands 



