32 VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



should not be removed under ten days or a fortnight. To draw them 

 out, cut the suture close to the knot and placing the finger upon the 

 flesh between the line of the cicatrix and the point where traction is to 

 be made, draw carefully and steadily out. If the hair has previously 

 been removed around the Avound, apply strips of sticking plaster to sup- 

 port the new line of union for a time. 



The twisted suture, also called the pin and hare-lip suture, is made 

 by thrusting pins through the margins of a wound and then winding a 

 thread about them, as shown in Fig. 32. Fig. 33 shows the common black 

 glass-head shawl pin which can be obtained at any store, and is the best 

 for this purpose. The pins should be inserted from a half to three-quar- 

 ters of an inch from the edge of the wound and brought out the opposite 

 side at the same distance. After they are all in place, wrap the thread 

 as shown. It will be an improvement to take an interrupted stitch be- 

 tween the pins as shown. The pins may be removed in from three to 

 five days. Place the thumb and forefinger upon the loops of the thread 

 and gently drawing them together, draw out the pin b^' a twisting or 

 rotating motion to free it from any adhesion. 



Slings. — It not infrequently happens that sick horses have a dread 

 of lying down and stand until utterly exhausted, retarding and even 

 preventing any cure of their malady. Every horse-owner therefore 

 should know how to prepare and use slings. Most stables are so 

 situated that a block and tackle can be fastened into the beams about the 

 stall; if not, a four-post frame suflBciently high to make the cross bars 

 line with the back of the animal, must be erected on which to stretch 

 the canvas. If blocks are fastened to beams overhead, the arrangement 

 will be as shown in Fig. 34 or Fig. 34*. In this case the sail cloth or 

 whatever stout material is used to go under the belly and support the 

 horse should be wrapped twice around two-inch rollers or sticks of wood, 

 and thoroughly nailed. 



If the frame is to be used — and in the country it is preferable, because 

 everything necessary can be obtained at little or no cost — procure four 

 crotched posts and set them in the ground a little more than three feet apart 

 one way and five feet the other; let the crotches come about as high as 

 the middle of the body, and on them rest on each side two strong hori- 

 zontal bars; above the bars tie a stick across the other way from post to post 

 to stiffen them, then walk your horse between the posts and fasten the 

 cloth securely to the parallel bars on both sides, passiug it under his 



