534 OBSTETRIOAL OPERATIONS. 



fingers, and that the flaccid tissues of the young creatures ghde away 

 from the cutting instrument — as they can only be rendered tense in 

 certain circumstances by the cords or crotchets — all this testifies that, 

 combined with the straining of the mother, the removal of the foetus by 

 instalments in the larger animals imposes a severe strain on the veter- 

 inary surgeon's physical and mental powers. 



It must be stated that embryotomy cannot be restricted to definite 

 rules which shall be applicable to every case ; the operation must vary 

 according to circumstances, and these are often of the most diverse 

 kind. In very many instances, before the veterinarian is called in rude 

 and misguided hands have greatly complicated the case, and caused so 

 much injury and swelling to the maternal organs that the difficulties are 

 increased manifold. 



But, as in everything else, there is a right way and a wrong way of 

 operating — apart from the collateral difficulties of the operation ; and 

 though no fixed rules can be laid down for every case which requires 

 embryotomy, yet there are directions, based on the results of practical 

 experience, which afford a general and trustworthy summary of the 

 most important points to be observed — by the young practitioner more 

 particularly. These directions will now be alluded to, in treating of the 

 incision, excision, or ablation of those parts of the foetus which are 

 selected for operation — these being the head, limbs, and body. But the 

 instruments in actual use, or which are recommended for performing 

 embryotomy, must first be noticed. 



Embnjotovuj Instruments. 



The performance of embryotomy necessitates the use of surgical 

 appliances for the division, puncture, or removal of certain parts ; and 

 as these operations have to be effected either in the genital canal or in the 

 cavity of the uterus, the manipulation of cutting instruments in such a 

 confined space by one hand, under all the disadvantages of distance from 

 the operator, the struggles and paralysing straining of the mother, and 

 without the aid of vision to guide and direct, renders the task peculiarly 

 difficult and dangerous. These diificulties and dangers have stimulated 

 the inventive faculties of veterinarians for a long time, in devising 

 instruments by which they might operate quickly and safely, and so 

 obviate fatigue and danger to themselves, and exhaustion and risk to 

 the parturient animal. 



It is needless to remark that many of these instruments have never 

 come into general use, either because they did not fulfil the require- 

 ments claimed for them, or because they were too complicated or ex- 

 pensive. Sometimes, also, prejudice rather conflicts with the introduc- 

 tion of any novelty in this direction ; while long experience often enables 

 the practitioner to achieve the desired end with instruments which 

 would be useless, if not dangerous, in the hand of a less expert 

 obstetrist. 



So it is that, for nearly all cutting operations, an ordinary pocket- 

 knife or bistoury is sometimes the only instrument employed ; the 

 operator being satisfied if the spring is sufficiently strong to prevent 

 the blade shutting up in the handle when it is used in the uterus. 

 Eainard preferred an ordinary knife with a blunt point and a convex 

 cutting edge ; others use a bistoury cache. Even small pocket-knives 

 of various sizes are utilised for this purpose, and one of Mr. Cartwright's 

 embryotomy knives is not unlike a gardener's large pruning-knife. In 



