112 DISEASES OF SWINE 



ordinary castrating knife or bistoury will answer the 

 purpose. Linen thread may be used for suture materi- 

 al, and a strong half-curved surgeon's needle is best 

 for sewing up the incision in the flank. A small bitch 

 emasculator is to be preferred for cutting off the 

 ovaries. The instruments should be kept in the dis- 

 infectant solution when not in use. The operator's 

 hands must be clean and the seat of the operation 

 washed with the solution. 



The operator stands at the back of the sow. The 

 hair is first clipped from the skin at the point where 

 the incision is made, high up in the flank and mid- 

 way between the. point of the haunch and the last rib. 

 The incision in the part should be large enough to 

 admit two fingers, and in the same direction as the 

 long axis of the body, or across it. The latter direc- 

 tion is to be preferred. After tearing through the 

 peritoneum, one or two fingers are introduced into 

 the abdominal cavity and directed toward the back. 

 If the ovaries are not easily located, the womb should 

 be located and followed forward until the fingers 

 come in contact with the ovaries. These organs can 

 be readily recognized by the way they feel — firm and 

 rough. The ovary is then pulled through the open- 

 ing in the flank and removed by tearing it off with 

 the fingers, or better, by cutting it off with an emas- 

 culator. The flank incision is then closed by the 

 necessary number of stitches. 



Both ovaries may be removed through the same 

 opening, or the operation repeated on the opposite 

 side. 



