206 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



AMPUTATION OF THE HEAD. 



The head is first seized and drawn well forward, or even outside 

 the vulva, by a rope with a running noose placed around the lower 

 jaw just behind the incisor teeth, by a sharp hook inserted in the 

 arch of the lower jaw behind the union of its two branches and back 

 of the incisor teeth, or by hooks inserted in the orbits, or, finally, in 

 case the whole head protrudes, by a halter. (PI. XXI, figs. 4« 

 and 4&.) 



In case the whole head protrudes, a circular incision through the 

 skin is made just back of the ear, and the cut edge being held firmly 

 by the left hand, the neck is skinned as far as it can be reached. 

 Then the great ligamentous cord above the spine is cut across at the 

 farthest available point, together with the muscles above and below 

 the spine. Strong traction on the head will then detach it at this 

 point and bring it away, but should there still be too much resistance 

 the knife is inserted between the bodies of two vertebrae just behind 

 one of the prominent points felt in the median line below, and their 

 connecting fibrous cartilage is cut through, after which compara- 

 tively moderate pulling will bring it away. The detached neck and 

 body at once slip back into the womb, and if the fore limbs are now 

 brought up and pulled they are advanced so far upon the chest that 

 the transverse diameter of that is greatly diminished and delivery 

 correspondingly facilitated. 



If the head is still inclosed in the vagina two methods are avail- 

 able: (1) The removal of the lower jaw and subsequent separation of 

 the head from the neck; (2) the skinning of the whole head and its 

 separation from the neck. 



To remove the lower jaw the skin is dissected away from it until 

 the throat is reached. Then the muscles of the cheeks and side of 

 the jaw (masseters) are cut through and those connecting the jaw 

 with the neck. "VMien traction is made on the rope round the lower 

 jaw it will usually come away with little trouble. Should it resist, 

 its posterior extremity on each side (behind the grinding teeth) may 

 be cut through with bone forceps or with a guarded bone chisel. 

 (PI. XX, fig. 8.) After the removal of the lower jaw the way will 

 be open to separate the head from the neck, the knife being used to 

 cut into the first or second joint from below, or the bone forceps or 

 chisel being employed to cut through the bones of the neck. Then 

 traction is made on the head by means of hooks in the orbits, and the 

 hand, armed with an embryotomy knife, is introduced to cut through 

 the tense resisting ligament and muscles above the bones. The skin 

 and the strong ligamentous cord attached to the poll are the essential 

 things to cut, as the muscles can easily be torn across. Unless there 

 are great difficulties in the way it is well to skin the head from the 



