Diseases of the Mammary Gland. 179 



It. Occasionally its base is attached by more vital struc- 

 tures, and haemorrhage will follow its removal. In such a 

 case, either the ligature may be adopted before severing 

 the mass, or the vessels afterwards taken up and tied, or 

 the actual cautery applied. The latter is someti mes used 

 for separating a vascular base. 



The superficial bleeding which occasionally takes place 

 more or less all round it, when more closely connected to 

 the skin, is usually harmless, and is readily stayed by the 

 application of the tincture of iron. 



The edges of the incised skin are to be brought in appo- 

 sition, with interrupted silk sutures, steeped in a weak solu- 

 tion of carbolic acid. Healing generally takes place 

 quickly, and the loose, hanging pouch of skin contracts to 

 the level of the surrounding parts. 



It is always advisable to wire-muzzle the patient after 

 the operation ; for the tongue, although a great healer, 

 often does considerable mischief, and the teeth will speedily 

 remove stitches and ligatures. 



The after treatment consists in daily cleansing the wound 

 from discharge, attention to the bowels, a plain, unstimula- 

 ting diet, and tonics if there is much prostration. 



N— 2 



