OVARIOTOMY IN THE BITCH. 



139 



The ovary being indistinct and hidden is difficult to iden- 

 tify directly, and the cornua being covered over by the 

 duplicature of the broad ligament is not readily reached, 

 so that the finger generally comes in contact first with the 

 broad ligament of the uppermost cornu hanging loose in 

 the peritoneal cavity : engage this between the end of the 

 finger and the abdominal wall and draw it out through the 

 wound, grasp it and continue drawing upon the folds of the 

 ligament, especially upon the median or under-most portion 

 until the naked cornu appears through the opening, seize 

 it and draw out the anterior portion until the ovary follows, 

 then grasp the latter with the thumb and index finger of 

 one hand and the ovarian ligament with the same members 

 of the other and tear the ligament through between them 

 by linear tension. Extend the tear through the broad liga- 

 ment as high toward its lumbar attachment as is convenient 

 and backward to the neighborhood of the uterine bifurca- 

 tion. Draw upon the exposed coruu until the point of bi- 

 furcation appears, when the other branch is to be grasped 

 and drawn out through the opening. In young puppies the 

 .securing of the second cornu is very difficult and requires 

 great care to prevent the rupture of the first. The object 

 may be facilitated by pressing the upper flank of the bitch 

 downward, thereby greatly diminishing the transverse 

 diameter of the abdomen. 



The succeeding operation (30) avoids this difficulty in a 

 large measure. Should the distal cornu be ruptured and 

 with its ovary drop away from the operator, it becomes nec- 

 essary to turn the animal over and make a second incision 

 on the opposite side, somewhat further forward. When the 

 second cornua has been secured draw it out as far as prac- 

 ticable and holding it tense insert an index finger along it 

 until the ovary is reached, which is recognized by its slightly 

 greater size and density succeeding the brief neck represent- 

 ing the Fallopian tube between the end of the cornu and 



