200 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



knife may now be taken (PI. XXI, fig. 2), and a small hole having 

 been cut in the free end of the detached portion of skin, that is seized 

 by the left hand and extended while its firm connections with the 

 deeper structures are cut through. The looser connections can be 

 more quickly torn through with the closed fist, or the tips of the four 

 fingers held firmly together in a line, or with the spud, of which there 

 are several kinds. Much of the upper part of the limb can be skinned 

 more speedily without the knife, but that must be resorted to to cut 

 across tough bands whenever these interrupt the progress. The skin- 

 ning should be carried upward on the outer side of the shoulder blade 

 to the spine, or nearly so. Then with the knife the muscles attach- 

 ing the elbow and shoulder to the breastbone are cut across, together 

 with those on the inner side of the shoulder joint, and in front and 

 behind it so far as these can be reached. Steady traction is now made 

 upon the foot, the remaining muscles attaching the shoulder blade to 

 the trunk are torn through with a crackling noise, and the whole 

 limb, including the shoulder blade and its investing muscles, comes 

 away. If the shoulder blade is left the bulk of the chest is not dimin- 

 ished, and nothing has been gained. Before going further it is well 

 to see whether the great additional space thus secured in the passages 

 will allow of the missing limb or head to be brought into position. 

 If not, the other presenting part, limb or head, is to be amputated 

 and extracted. For the limb the procedure is a repetition of that 

 just described. 



AMPUTATION OF THE HEAD. 



The head is first seized and drawn well forward, or even outside the 

 vulva, by a rppe with a running noose placed around the lower jaw 

 just behind the incisor teeth, by a sharp hook inserted in the arch of 

 the lower jaw behind the union of its two branches and back of the 

 incisor teeth, or by hooks inserted in the orbits, or, finally, in case 

 the whole head protrudes, by a halter. (PI. XXI, fig. 4a and 47>. ) 



In case the whole head protrudes, a circular incision through the 

 skin is made just back of the ear, and the cut edge being held firmly 

 by the left hand, the neck is skinned as far as it can be reached. 

 Then the great ligamentous cord above the spine is cut across at the 

 farthest available point, together with the muscles above and below 

 the spine. Strong traction on the head will then detach it at this 

 point and bring it away, but should there still be too much resistance 

 the knife is inserted between the bodies of two vertebrae just behind 

 one of the prominent points felt in the median line below, and their 

 connecting fibrous cartilage is cut through, after which comparatively 

 moderate pulling will bring it away. The detached neck and body 

 at once slip back into the womb, and if the fore limbs are now brought 

 up and pulled they are advanced so far upon the chest that the trans- 

 verse diameter of that is greatly diminished and delivery correspond- 

 ingly facilitated. 



