136 ANIMAL CASTRATION 



just posterior to the last rib, and the skin may be 

 cleansed with a swab and gasoline and then painted 

 with tincture of iodin. 



Technic. — An incision is made in the space be- 

 tween the external iliac spine and last rib, the direc- 

 tion of which is to be downward and forward and 

 of sufficient length to permit comfortable access for 

 manipulation of the parts to be dealt with. All of the 

 tissues comprising the abdominal wall are divided 

 with a scalpel, and hemorrhage, if of any consequence, 

 is controlled by means of forceps. The flank of the 

 subject is now covered with sterile towels and kept 

 so until the operation is completed. 



The hand is introduced into the peritoneal cavity, 

 and by palpation it is determined whether one or 

 both horns are gravid and whether a fetus is lodged, 

 in part, in the body of the uterus. A horn (the one 

 nearest the abdominal incision if it is gravid), is 

 grasped and brought to the surface by gentle traction. 

 At this time it is necessary to carefully examine the 

 parts for the purpose of determining whether a hyster- 

 otomy or a hysterectomy is to be performed. 



If there exists evidence of considerable emphysema 

 of the fetuses indicating that degenerative changes in- 

 volving the uterine horns have taken place, amputa- 

 tion of the uterus and horns should be decided upon. 

 If both horns are gravid and particularly if more than 

 one fetus is contained in each horn, hysterectomy 

 should be done ; it is very difficult to do a hysterotomy 

 in such instances without producing laceration of some 

 part of one or both gravid horns with probable con- 

 tamination of the peritoneal cavity occasioned by es- 

 caping putrid fluids. 



Where hysterectomy is decided upon the gravid horn 



