558 OBSTETRICAL OPERATIONS. 



solid adhesion of the margins of the wound that hernia may not 

 result. 



If the mother is alive, the operation is a painful one, and of long 

 duration in some cases, while the pain inflicted causes the animal to 

 struggle ; this inconveniences the operator more or less, and — not to 

 speak of the humane feelings which should ever be predominant on 

 such occasions — induces him to avail himself of the advantages of 

 anaesthesia, if they can be obtained. Perhaps no agent is so useful in 

 this respect as chloral hydrate, though chloroform or ether may be 

 administered in the usual way — by inhalation — and produce their 

 effect. The objection to the two latter substances, however, is very 

 great, so far as cattle are concerned ; as they taint the flesh, should it 

 be necessary to kill the animals, and utilise their flesh as food ; where- 

 as the chloral hydrate has not this objectionable action. The latter is 

 perhaps best administered in enema ; for Horses and Cattle, the dose 

 may be from fourteen to twenty-two drachms ; about two or three 

 drachms for Dogs (depending on the size), and three to six drachms for 

 Pigs. It is best given in mucilage or bland syrup of any kind. In a 

 quarter of an hour or so the animal is in a state of narcosis, and the 

 operation may be commenced. Unfortunately, the drug only too 

 frequently causes the death of the foetus — a matter of some importance 

 when this is of more value than the parent, but not to be considered 

 when the life of the latter is to be preserved. 



When the parent is doomed to be killed — as in the case of a worthless 

 Mare, or one suffering from an incurable disease or accident — and the 

 young animal is to be rescued, the best course to follow is to pierce the 

 medulla oblongata, and operate at once, as Vollmar has done with 

 success. By this means insensibility has been produced, and the young 

 creature extracted alive. Giinther recommends dividing the posterior 

 aorta after removal of the foetus, as it is close to hand in the abdominal 

 cavity, and death quickly ensues. 



For the operation but few instruments are needed. They consist 

 chiefly of a scalpel, probe-pointed bistoury, scissors, forceps, muscle- 

 hooks, and some common suture needles, pins, and sutures — silk or 

 catgut. For the larger animals a strong suture needle, suture wire, and 

 waxed carbolised thread, catgut, wire or twine, teased oakum, tow, 

 small pieces of wood or whalebone for the sutures, and large pieces of 

 linen are required in addition, as well as a body-bandage made by fold- 

 ing a linen or cotton sheet. If the parent is not to be preserved, or is 

 already dead or dying, of course no such preparations need be made ; 

 as a scalpel and probe-pointed bistoury, or even an ordinary pocket- 

 knife on an emergency, and used with care, will sutfice. 



The operation should, if possible, be performed with all antiseptic 

 precautions. 



The incision in the abdomen may be made in either of two regions— 

 at the linca alba or the riciht flank. If it is desired to preserve the 

 parent, the flank operation is certainly to be preferred with the larger 

 animals and the Sow, as no sutures can resist the weight of the intes- 

 tines when the incision is at the inferior part of the abdomen. Even 

 with the Bitch the flank operation should be adopted for the same 

 reason, and also because wounding the mammas is avoided — an im- 

 portant consideration in more respects than one. It is true that 

 Bourgelat, describing how gastro-hysterotomy ought to be performed 

 in the Mare in order to obtain the living foetus, says that the animal 



