REMOVING THE SKIN. 205 



Unless one is quite familiar witli both tlie locality and the art of 

 dissecting, this first incision should merely divide the skin proper. 

 The borders may be still farther divaricated, and a similar incision 

 made through the connective tissue and fat, and in some cases the 

 dermal muscle (§ 629), until the darker red and closer texture 

 shows that the ordinary skeletal muscles have been reached. 



With lean animals this second incision will be very shallow, but 

 in some cases the fat forms thick layers between the dermal mus- 

 cles and the skin and deeper muscles. On the cheeks of old males, 

 and sometimes on other regions, the skin and connective tissue are 

 so thick as to puzzle the beginner. 



Shift the tips of the index and medius, and repeat the operation 

 to the end of the line. The separate strokes should join each other 

 accurately, so that the entire incision is straight and smooth-edged. 



After the skin is divided, the subcutaneous fat and connective 

 tissue may usually be cut to the proper depth by a single long 

 steady stroke. 



§ 600. Removing the Skin. — The edge of the area of skin to be 

 removed, preferably at the angle formed by two incisions, should be 

 grasped, first by the forceps and then by the fingers, and lifted so 

 that the scalpel may be applied to the connective tissue by which it 

 and the fat are held loosely to the deeper muscles. 



Excepting in the case of some rare form (which should not be 

 dissected by a beginner), the skin should be kept well upon the 

 stretch, and the edge of the scalpel should be applied against the 

 tissues to be exposed, following the direction of the muscular fibers. 

 The object is to remove with the skin all the subcutaneous fat, con- 

 nective tissue and ectal fascia, so as to expose at once and fully the 

 surface of the muscles, etc., to be examined. 



This, the anatomical method of removing the skin, is more diffi- 

 cult than the "flaying" of the butcher or the "skinning" of the 

 taxidermist. Both of these desire the skin free of fat and connective 

 tissue, and therefore keep the edge of the knife turned toward it. 

 The taxidermist must avoid stretching, but this is easier than to 

 follow strictly the above method. The beginner will usually be 

 tempted to get the skin off in the easiest and quickest way, which 

 is that of the butcher ; but he then is obliged practically to repeat 

 the operation for the removal of the tissues which should have 

 been lifted with the skin. 



§ 601. Rigor Mortis. — The spontaneous stiffening of the mus- 



