RABBITS 161 



During an experiment the animal may be held either by the person operating 

 or by an assistant. This is quite satisfactory in the case of most animals when 

 a, simple sub-cutaneous inoculation has to be done, but for the more difficult 

 operations, such as inoculation into the peritoneum, meninges or veins, or 

 when dangerous viruses, such as those of glanders, hydrophobia, etc., have 

 to be inoculated, it may be better to hold the animal in some suitable form of 

 apparatus designed for the purpose. [But as a matter of fact occasion 

 for the use of such apparatus very, very seldom arises. If there is likely to 

 be any difficulty this may be overcome by administering an anaesthetic. 

 But for sub-cutaneous, intra-peritoneal or intra-venous inoculation not even 

 an anaesthetic is necessary. ] In the handling of small animals an assistant 

 should be dispensed with as far as possible. 



1. Rabbits. 



To catch a rabbit grasp it by the skin of the back, or by one of its ears. 

 These are the only ways to secure the animal without being scratched in the 

 attempt. To hold a rabbit, place the animal on the knees, and hold it there 

 with the left hand, using the right hand for the inoculation. If the animal 

 be troublesome, take hold of the skin of the back with the right hand, and 

 put the rabbit under the left arm, so that the head and fore limbs are fixed 

 between the arm and the chest wall, support the trunk on the forearm, and 

 hold the hind limbs with the left hand. The right hand is then free to make 

 the inoculation. 



When an assistant is available he turns the rabbit on its back and takes 

 hold of the four limbs in his left hand, holding the head in his right in such a 

 way that the top of the animal's head rests in the palm and his thumb passes 

 under the lower jaw. 



Apparatus for holding rabbits. A rabbit can be very simply held by 

 wrapping it up to its neck in a duster, or a large strip of cloth, and fastening 

 the limbs beneath the body. Operations on the head and ears can then be 

 performed. To inoculate one of the limbs, take it out of the duster, and 

 hold it extended in the left hand. 



To prevent the animal moving at all, several pieces of apparatus are avail- 

 able, for example, Malassez's, Czermak's, Piorkowski's, Latapie's, and 

 Debrand's. 1 The two latter, which may be used for all the smaller animals, 

 are very ingenious, but complicated and expensive. Latapie's apparatus 

 is, moreover, difficult to disinfect. 



The simplest and at the same time the best piece of apparatus consists 

 of a rectangular sheet of zinc or copper, the edges of which are turned up 

 and pierced with holes 2 or 3 cm. apart. Place the animal on the metal tray, 

 put a noose (of string, or, better, leather) round one of the hind limbs and 

 fasten it above the wrist, pass one of the ends through a hole near the end of 

 the tray and tie it to the other end. In the same way fasten the fore limb 

 of the opposite side to a hole at the other end of the tray. Then make the 

 other two limbs fast. The animal is now absolutely unable to move. The 

 head can be held by an assistant, or can be fixed with a string passing from a 

 bar introduced behind the incisor teeth, and fastened as before to two holes 

 of the tray. 



Or the head can be held with a Ranvier's ring. This device consists of an horizontal 

 iron bar moving on a vertical bar by means of a double joint, which allows it to be 

 fixed in any position. The horizontal bar ends in a ring perpendicular to its axis, 

 and on to the ring two small hooks are adjusted, to which a piece of elastic can 

 be attached. Fit the ring on the animal's nose and attach the elastic to one of the 



1 Annales de VInstitut Pasteur, 1894 and 1900. 



