USES OF ANESTHESIA 289 



muzzle is employed, ether is administered by mfeans of a 

 cone made out of stiff cardboard, or newspaper covered with' 

 a towel, or a straw cuff may be utilized. The cone should 

 be tight, and the ether is then poured upon a sponge, or 

 absorbent cotton, and introduced within the cone. If the 

 muzzle obstructs the breathing, it can be loosened after 

 anaesthesia is secured. While it is essential to obtaia a free 

 supply of air in chloroform inhalation, it is as desirable 

 that air should be somewhat excluded by means of the cone 

 during etherization. One-half ounce, or more, of ether is 

 added from time to time as required. If larger quantities 

 are employed, it is wasteful, but not dangerous, as with 

 chloroform. 



Dogs may also be anaesthetized by placing them in a 

 covered pail, tight box or barrel, or by driving them into 

 their kennels, and dropping in cloths, sponges, or absorbent 

 material saturated with chloroform, while excluding the 

 outer air. The smaller animals can be destroyed in a 

 humane and satisfactory manner by this method. 



USES OF ANESTHESIA. 



Anaesthetics are not employed as frequently as is 

 desirable in veterinary medicine. Anaesthesia entails skilled 

 assistance, increased expense, and danger ; but, on the 

 other hand, facilitates rapidity and asepsis during opera- 

 tions by lessening struggling, and should be employed to 

 relieve suffering where a local anaesthetic is impracticable. 

 The owner of an animal should be made to understand the 

 extra risk and expense attending operations under anaesthe- 

 sia, and his consent should be secured before using ether 

 or chloroform. 



The general indications for anaesthetics embrace all 

 severe, prolonged, and delicate operations. The more 

 special indications are as follows : In abdominal opera- 

 tions, as ovariotomy, herniotomy and reduction of hernia. 

 In operations for retained testicle, scirrhus cord, castration, 

 and in dystocia to cause dilatation of a rigid and otherwise 



