424 ; SURGICAL DISEASES. 
exhaustion from the quantity formed. Matter may be detected, 
as soon as it is thrown out, by the sensation given to the fingers 
of each hand called “ fluctuation;” that is to say, on pressing 
one side of the swelling with the left hand the other side rises 
beneath the fingers of the right, in an elastic way, just as hap- 
pens with a water-pillow when pressure is made upon it. When, 
therefore, this fluctuation is clearly made out, a lancet or knife 
should be inserted and made to cut its way out, so as to leave 
a considerable opening, which should be so arranged as to let 
the matter drain out at all times. This is what in surgery is 
called a “depending” opening, the opposite plan allowing the 
matter to remain in the abscess, which cannot therefore heal, 
because its walls are separated, and the consequence is that a 
sinus forms, which gives infinite trouble to get it well. Should. 
this sinus be established, the only plan is, either to lay it open by 
slitting it up with a narrow knife, or by passing a probe or other 
similar smooth body to the end, cutting down upon it, and then 
inserting a few threads or a piece of tape, convert it into a seton, 
‘which will either eat its way out, or after a time the threads may 
be withdrawn and the sides unite. 
UNNATURAL PARTURITION. 
I have alluded to the management of healthy parturition at 
page 250, but in this chapter I must say something of the proper 
conduct to be observed where the process is disturbed by any 
accidental complication. As, however, these unnatural labours 
only occur in any number to the veterinary practitioner, I shall 
take the liberty of inserting here Mr. Youatt’s remarks on the 
subject, which I believe to be truthful throughout :— 
“The pnpping usually takes place from the sixty-second to the sixty-fourth 
day ; and, the process having commenced, from a quarter to three-quarters of 
an hour generally takes place between the production of each puppy. 
“Great numbers of bitches are lost every year in the act of parturition ; 
there seems to be a propensity in the females to associate with dogs larger than 
themselves, and they pay for it with their lives. The most neglected circumstance 
during the period of pregnancy is the little exercise which the mother is per- 
mitted to take, while, in point of fact, nothing tends more to safe and easy partu- 
rition than her being Habana or compelled to take a fair quantity of exercise. 
““When the time of parturition has arrived, and there is evident difficulty 
in producing the fostus, recourse should be had to the ergot of rye, which 
