THE URINARY APPARATUS. 



341 



about i inch, somewhat curved, blind at one rounded 

 extremity, but perforated at its sides just within this, open 

 at the other (see fig. 77, p. 394). The operator, standing on 

 the right ("near") side of the cow,passes the left hand, with 

 the index finger over the rounded end of the tube, into the 

 vulva, and thus introduces this end into the urethral opening 

 on the floor of the canal, avoiding the cul-de-sac placed 

 just behind the orifice. When the instrument enters the 

 bladder a rush of urine takes place. This easy operation 

 must be performed whenever a cow remains recumbent for 

 an unusual length of time. In the male the course of the 

 urethra must be traced to its extreme posterior part, and 

 an incision made into it behind the ischial arch. Through 



Fig. 67. — Passing the Catheter in the ox. (Armatage.) 



this the catheter may be passed. The animal will not 

 require to be cast ; indeed, this would not be satisfactory 

 in the highly distended state of the bladder. The wound 

 may be closed with a suture if it does not seem that 

 evacuation will require to be repeated. The method of 

 prepuhic puncture has been suggested, and might well be 

 performed in the ox if the symptoms be very urgent. 



Incontinence op Urine [diuresis). — Constant dribbling 

 of urine may result either from relaxation of the urethral 

 canal at its commencement (the contact of whose walls is 

 now deemed the true physiological means of preventing 



