FOREWORD 5 



but his client and patient are also directly interested to a marked degree. 

 The surgeon owes it to his client, his patient and himself to become proii- 

 cieut in properly and securely restraining animals for examination and 

 operation. Without efficient means of restraint the surgeon is in constant 

 danger of great bodily harm; the animal in danger of self-intlicted injuries 

 as a result of its own efforts at resistance, thereby causing the owner finan- 

 cial loss, M'hich can and should be avoided by proper methods. 



In order to cast and secure an animal properly and successfully, the 

 operator should possess coolness, good judgment, and plenty of courage 

 and confidence. He should retain his equilibrium in spite of any untoward 

 accident or emergency which may cliance to take place. Self-confidence 

 and good judgment are both valuable assets in performing operations of 

 the character which this book undertakes to illustrate and describe. The 

 surgeon should get control and remain in control from the time the twitch 

 is placed on the animal — preparatory to applying the hobbles or casting 

 harness — until the animal is again on its feet. Experience and dexterity 

 are not to be underrated in the operator who is to undertake the task of se- 

 curing and properly confining the larger domestic animals. Do not allow 

 yourself to become excited or unduly alarmed or aggravated should every- 

 thing not move as smoothlj^ as you expect or desire, for in so doing the 

 surgeon is not in sufficient possession of his mental faculties to do justice 

 to himself, his patient or his client. 



Perfect, or even good, surgery is impossible without perfect restraint. 

 The surgeon's success depends largely upon the restraint method used. It 

 is rare to see a surgeon handle a knife any more skillfully than he handles 

 his restraint technic. Imperfect restraint means imperfect operation. 



The particular methods of restraint necessary for each operation and the 

 details pertaining to same will be specificallj^ described under the proper 

 headings. G. R. AV. 



