108 VAGINAL OVARIOTOMY IN THE MARE 



barrassment and may be overcome by again dilating the 

 vagina with fresh injections of the soda solution and making 

 a new incision, or if preferred, the first cut may be corrected 

 by placing an index finger against the peritoneum at the 

 upper part of the wound, and with a sudden and vigorous 

 thrust, breaking through into the peritoneal cavity, or the 

 error may be corrected by again using the scalpel and direct- 

 ing the incision properly. If it is attempted to rupture the 

 peritoneum with the finger, it must be doue by a sharp thrust 

 since otherwise a large section of the membrane will be 

 pushed away from the subjacent tissues. 



Incomplete penetration of the vaginal wall is liable to occur 



if the scalpel is dull or the vagina imperfectly " ballooned " 

 and flaccid, or the operator is unduly timid. It is best pre- 

 vented by avoiding the causes as related, and once it has 

 occurred, it is generally best to again "balloon " the organ 

 in the operation without anaesthesia and make a new in- 

 cision either to the right or left of the first. It may be 

 overcome also by thrusting the index finger through the 

 peritoneum as described in the preceding paragraph or 

 by completing the cut with the scalpel. 



TKe mistaking of a ball of feces for the ovary has occurred 



to inexperienced operators and the fatal error of removing 

 the portion of the rectum surrounding the fecal pellet com- 

 mitted. The blunder is uncalled for ; the fecal ball is 

 movable in the bowel, the intestine is far more massive 

 than the broad ligament, and the ovary is to be definitely 

 identified by its being lodged in the broad ligament just 

 beyond the end of the cornua, which is continuous with the 

 uterus. If, therefore, one traces the uterus forward to the 

 cornua, thence along each of these to their extremeties and 

 along the borders of the broad ligament to the ovary, as 

 above directed, the error will not occur. 



The vaginal incision may be made too low and pass beneath 



the broad ligament. It is to be avoided by being careful to 



