BLEEDIWU. 167 



tow, or a few hairs I'rom the mane of the horse, should be wran- 

 ped, so as to cover the whole of the incision ; and the head of 

 the horse should be tied up for several hours to prevent his tub- 

 bing the part against the manger. In bringing the edges of ths 

 wound together, and introducing the pin, care should be taken not 

 to draw the skin, too much from the neck, otherwise blood will 

 Insinuate itself between it and the muscles beneath, and cause an 

 unsightly and sometimes troublesome swelling.* 



The blood should be received into a vessel, the dimensions oi 

 wliich are exactly known, so that the operator may be able tc 

 calculate at every period of the bleeduig the quantity that is 

 subtracted. Care likewise should be taken that the blood flows 

 in a regular stream into the centre of the vessel, for if it is suf- 

 fered to trickle down the sides, it will not afterwards undergo 

 those changes by which we partially judge of the extent of in- 

 flammation. The pulse, how^ever, and the symptoms of the case 

 collectively, wiU form a better criterion than any change in the 

 blood. Twenty-four hours after the operation, the edges of the 

 wound will have imited, and the pin should be withdrawn. 

 When the bleeding is to be repeated, if more than three or four 

 hours have elapsed, it will be better to make a fresh incision 

 rather than to open the old wound. 



For general bleeding the jugular vein is selected as the largest 

 superficial one, and most easily got at. In every afiection of the 

 head, and in cases of fever or extended inflammatory action, it is 

 decidedly the best place for bleeding. In local inflammation, 

 blood may be taken from any of the superficial veins. In sup- 

 posed afl^ection of the shoulder, or of the fore-leg or foot, the plate 

 vein, which comes from the inside of the arm, and runs upwards 

 directly in front of it towards the jugular, may be opened. In 

 afiections of the hind extremity, blood is sometimes extracted 

 from the saphcena, or thigh-vein, which runs across the inside of 

 the thigh. In foot cases it may be taken from the coronet, or, 



* Note by Mr. Spooner.—Xn peiforming this operation with the fleam, tiio 

 blood-stidj should never be loaded with lead, as there is no possible occasion 

 for such extra weight The lancet requires much greater sliill ; and, whilst 

 the jugular vein of the near side is the most convenient situation for the 

 fleam, the off side is the best for the lancet. In using the latter, the head 

 of the horse should be elevated, so as to put the vein somewhat on the 

 stretch, and prevent its rolling ; the vein is then pressed with the fingers of 

 the left hand, which, obstructing the current, causes the vein to swell: the 

 lancet sliould then be dexterously thrust forwards and upwards, so as to open 

 the vein with one incision. The lancet should not be too large — should be 

 shaped like a human lancet, and about double its size, with a very sharp 

 point. In bleeding from the arm or the thigh, the fleam is more convenient 

 than the lancet. 



In closing the nr^fiip the pin should not be very large ; and fine tow should 

 be used to wild ■•oi>v' it. and not hair, as the latter is so apt to slip. 



