METHODS OF INJECTION. 



409 



tissues which compose the walls of the abdomen on the riglit or 

 left side. The serum is more rapidly absorbed when injected 

 into the loose skin covering of the abdomen than anywhere else. 

 Other suitable, but not so desirable, sites are the forearms, legs, 

 and between the shoulders. Some medical men prefer to inject 

 the serum into the thick muscles of the hip, thigh, or arm. The 

 subcutaneous abdominal injection should always be employed for 

 preference. Take hold of the skin with your fingers, pull it up 

 in the form of a ridge, and run the needle inTrom one end. After 

 the injection carefully withdraw the needle with a rapid movement, 

 put your finger on the puncture and press for a moment along the 

 direction traversed by the needle. This prevents any serum escap- 



Fic. 156. — Injecting][thc"serum into the forearm with a scrum syringe. The skin is held up, 

 the needle inserted, and the serum forced in. Always inject upwards toward the root of 

 the limb. 



ing from the needle-puncture. A 10 c.c. or 20 c.c. serum syringe' 

 can be used. A neat little syringe can be obtained to hold eighty 

 drops, and it is sufficiently large to contain enough serum to inject 

 at one spot. The syringe in " FitzSimons' Snake-bite Outfit " is 

 specially designed to suit the purpose. Be careful not to use a 

 small hypodermic syringe, as the aperture of the needle is so 

 small that it is likely to get clogged. After using a syringe, boil 

 it in water in which some borax has been added. The borax 

 will prevent subsequent rusting of the metal. Always see that 

 your syringe is scrupulously clean. 



A bottle containing 20 c.c. (cubic centimetres) should be 

 injected in three or four places. Two to three teaspoonfuls of 



