126 VAGINAL OJ'ARIOTOMY IN THE MARE. 



out the vagina may collapse and closely invest the hand, in 

 which case more of the liquid should be injected when it 

 will again dilate. If the hand is introduced without the 

 knife, withdrawn and then introduced with it, it will be 

 frequently found that the vagina has collapsed and needs a 

 second filling with the fluid. Patience until dilation is 

 accomplished and promptness to act when attained are prime 

 requisites to success. 



The knife should be pushed through the vagina quickly 

 making a clean wound the width of the blade, when the 

 latter is to be withdrawn and laid aside. It should be re- 

 membered that in this "ballooned" state, the anterior 

 wall of the vagina is but 2 or 3 mm. thick and easily pene- 

 trated. Introduce the hand again, push one finger into the 

 incision, then a second and third, and eventually holding 

 all the fingers in the form of a cone push the entire hand 

 into the peritoneal cavity. Immediately below the incision 

 and continuous with the tissues involved in the wound lies 

 the uterus with a transverse diameter of 4 to 6 cm. With 

 the palm of the hand downward, trace the uterus forward a 

 distance of 15 to 18 cm., where it ends abruptly in two 

 cornua of about the same size as the body, which are given 

 off horizontally at almost right angles. Trace these to the 

 right and left for a distance of 14 or 15 cm., where they 

 end obtusely, and 3 or 4 cm. beyond this in a direct line, 

 resting upon the anterior border of the broad ligament is the 

 dense oval ovary varying in size from 2.5 to 7 cm. in 

 diameter. 



Prepare the ecraseur for use by withdrawing the chain 

 until the loop is of barely sufficient size to admit of its being 

 readily slipped over the ovary. Grasp this loop and the end 

 of the ecraseur tube in the hand, carry the instrument 

 to the ovary and drop the loop over it from above. Pass 

 some of the fingers beneath the ovary and push it up 

 through the chain loop and grasp it there with the thumb 



