^IQ ILLUSTRATED STOCK DOCTOB. 



XXI. Surgical and Other Instruments. 



With all our care it is necessary to meet disease and accidents wheii 

 thev come, and to this end we must be provided at least with a few sim-' 

 pies, and the means of arriving at quantities. 



To this end we have advised the purchase of a pair of scales to weigh 

 orains. drachms, ounces and pounds ; certain surgical instruments, also, 

 and a small store of the medicines such as are in common use. 



In the horse stable a balling iron should be kept. This is an iron ring 

 through which the closed hand may be passed : on the top and bottom 

 are two bars, which placed between the front of the jaws enable the 

 mouth to be kept open while the hand passes the ball of physic to the 

 root of the tongue. Sponges of several sizes should also be kept. A 

 roomy nose-bag and an atomizer will be useful. The little India rubber 

 bottle with which the wife sprays her plants, will answer very well in 

 place of a better, for spraying the external surfaces. 



Means for giving injections should be procured. This may be the 

 regular horse or cattle syringe, though the pail and India rubber pipe, 

 described in another part of the volume, will be found simple and 

 effectual . 



A drenching horn or bottle is another implement that should not be 

 neglected. A probang should always be kept. A trocar will be found 

 useful in case where the stomach is to be punctured to permit the escape 

 of gas. A knife will, however, answer in its place ver}' well, if the 

 blade be sufficiently long and pointed. An outfit larger or smaller accord- 

 jug to the necessities of the stock owner, may be bought in any store 

 where surgical instruments are kept, and in fact in any of the larger drug 

 stores of cities. 



A convenient one which we have used contains : 1 . A blunt-pointed 

 bistoury-, an instrument for making incisions. When only one is to be 

 used we recommend the slightly curved form, with the sharp edsre on the 

 inside - 



2. Thumb lancet. We are opposed to the old time fleam. It seems 

 to have been invented for ignorant persons ; certainly none such should 

 ever operate, even on an animal. A little judgment will soon enable the 

 operator to use the lancet properly and with effect, gaugmg the depth 

 properly to which the puncture is to be made. It is better than the 

 spring lancet. 



3. A spring forceps, most valuable in dressing wounds, catching 

 arteries for tying, for removing foreign substances in wounds, and for a 

 variety of other purposes. 



4. An aneurismal needle — a long blunt needle. It can be used as s 

 probe and for introducing small setons. 



