. 178 



adoption have been f urnislied in tlie foregoing jpages. The o]3eration 

 will vary in different cases according to the necessity for the removal 

 of one or more i3arts in order to secnre the requisite reduction in size. 

 Thus it may he needful to remove head and neck, one fore-limh or 

 both, one hind-limb or both, to remove different parts of the trunk, 

 or to remove superfluous (monstrous) parts. Some of the simplest 

 operations of embryotomy (incision of the head in hydrocephalus, 

 incision of the belly in dropsy) have already been described. It 

 remains to notice the more difficult procedures which can be best 

 undertaken b}^ the skilled anatomist. 



Ampidaiionojihefore-Jimhs. — This may usually bo begun on the 

 fetlock of the limb iDrojecting from the vulva. An embryotomy knife 

 is desirable. This knife consists of a blade with a sharp, slightly 

 hooked point, and one or two rings in the back of the blade large 

 enough to fit on the middle finger, while the blade is j^rotected in the 

 palm of the hand. (See Plato XIV, Fig. 4.) Another form has the 

 blade inserted in a mortise in the handle from which it is pushed out 

 by a movable button when wanted. First place a noose around the 

 fetlock of the limb to be anij)utated, cut the skin circularl}^ entirely 

 around the fetlock, then make an incision on the inner side of the 

 limb from the fetlock uj) to the breast bone. Next dissect the skin 

 from the limb, from the fetlock up to the breast bone on the inner 

 side, and as far uj) on the shoulder blade as possible on the outer side. 

 Finally, cut through the muscles attaching the limb to the breast bone, 

 and employ strong traction on the limb so as to drag out the whole 

 limb, shoulder blade included. The muscles around the upper part 

 of the shoulder blade are easily torn through and need not be cut, 

 even if that were possible. In no ease should the fore-limb be 

 removed unless the shoulder blade is taken with it, as that furnishes 

 the greatest obstruction to delivery, above all when it is no longer 

 advanced by the extension of the fore-limb, but is pressed back so as 

 to increase the already thickest posterior portion of the chest. The 

 preservation of the skin from the whole limb is advantageous in 

 various ways; it is easier to cut it circularly at the fetlock than at 

 the shoulder; it covers the hand and knife in making the needful 

 incisions, thus acting as a protection to the womb; and it affords a 

 means of traction on the body after the limb has been removed. In 

 dissecting the skin from the limb the knife is not needful at all j)oints; 

 much of it may be stripped off with the fingers or knuckles, or by a 

 blunt iron spud pushed up inside the hide, which is meanwhile held 

 tense to render the spud effective. 



Amjmtation of the head. — This is easy Avlien both fore-limbs are 

 turned l)ack and the head alone has made its exit in part. It is more 

 difficult when the head is still retained in the passages or Avomb, as 

 in double-headed monsters. The head is secured by a hook in the 

 lower jaw, or in the orbit, or by a halter, and the skin is divided 



