INTRODUCTON. 



47 



hold of a fore-leg and doubling it back to the strapped position. If by 

 chance he should be too quick, don't resist, for it is an essential principle 

 of this system never to enter into a contest with a horse unless you are 

 certain to be victorious. In all these operations you must be calm, and 

 never be in a hurry, or in a passion." 



Catheters. — It is sometimes necessary to empty the bladder of the 

 horse by means of the catheter. Those used for the 

 horse should be about thirty inches long, and provided 

 with a stilette, Fig. 58. For the mare a metal tube 

 curved as shown in Fig. 59, about twelve inches long, 

 should be used. 



The catheter is passed along the floor of the vagi- 

 na in mares, preceded by the index finger of the lefc 

 hand, which carefully raises the thin delicate valve 

 guarding the urethral opening; it then enters the blad- 

 der, and urine at once flows readily. This precaution 

 should be observed in all animals confined to a recum- 

 bent position, as untoward results may arise from pres- 

 sure of the abdominal contents obstructing the flow of 

 urine. 



The mctle catlieter is not so readily passed into the 

 bladder, owing to the greater length of the urethral 

 canal, which extends from the bladder to the end of the 

 penis. Usually, however, the operation is not difficult 

 if the ordinary precautions are observed, and sjaasm of 

 the neck of the bladder is not too violent. When that 

 occurs, the injection of opium, etc., as already named, 

 may induce a partial relaxation if applied first. In 



OT 



Fig. 59. 

 Female Catheter for removing the Urine. 



Fig. 58. 

 The male or flex- 

 ible Gather, with 

 StUette. 



most cases the penis is relaxed, and hanging flabby and pendulous 

 from nervous exhaustion, and therefore is readily seized; when it is con- 

 tracted by strong Sj^asm within the sheath, as sometimes happens, there 



