ANESTHESIA 231 



writer has found the following method and appliance most suitable for 

 dogs and small animals. A cone of leather open at both ends and taper- 

 ing to fit the muzzle is slipped on to the nose and up to the base of the 

 ears. This is held in place by a strap sewed to one side of the large end 

 of the cone and buckled to the other side. The strap passes over the 

 top of the head behind the ears and the cone is thus held in place auto- 

 matically and acts as a muzzle as well. The small end of the cone is 

 long and projects beyond the tip of the nose and into this is stuffed 

 gauze or a sponge for ether. Ether is given by the drop method. That 

 is, a wedge-shaped piece is cut from the cork of the ether bottle or can, 

 and a little piece of gauze is laid in -this, which acts like a wick and allows 

 a continual dropping when the bottle is inverted. This is the safest 

 method and requires the least ether. 



Dogs may also be anesthetized by placing them in a covered pail, 

 tight box or barrel, or by driving them into their kennels, and dropping 

 in cloths, sponges, or absorbent material saturated with chloroform, while 

 excluding the outer air. The smaller animals can be destroyed in a 

 humane and satisfactory manner by this method. 



Uses of Anesthesia. 



Anesthetics are not employed as frequently as they should be in 

 veterinary medicine. Anesthesia entails skilled assistance, increased ex- 

 pense, and danger ; but, on the other hand, facilitates rapidity and asepsis 

 during operations by lessening struggling, and should be employed to 

 relieve suffering where a local anesthetic is impracticable. The owner 

 of an animal should be made to understand the extra risk and expense 

 attending operations under anesthesia, and his consent should be secured 

 before using ether or chloroform. Should he withhold his consent for 

 anesthesia the veterinarian should promptly, firmly and without equivo- 

 cation decline to perform any painful operation or operation requiring 

 great delicacy in manipulation. The day when brutality in veterinary 

 surgery could be excused has passed. 



The general indications for anesthetics embrace all severe, pro- 

 longed, and delicate operations. The more special indications are as 

 follows: In abdominal operations, as ovariotomy, herniotomy and reduc- 

 tion of hernia. In operations for retained testicle, scirrhus cord, 

 castration, and in dystocia to cause dilatation of a rigid and otherwise 

 undilatable os, to assist the operator in remedying faulty positions of 

 the fetus by relaxation of the parts, and to facilitate instrumental deliv- 

 ery in bitches. Anesthesia is also indicated in removal of tumors, excision 

 of the eyeball or parts of the hoof, extraction of teeth, reduction of dis- 

 locations, setting of fractures, and to relieve severe pain in colic, and to 

 overcome spasm in chorea and hiccough, or convulsions due to poison or 

 natural causes. 



Chloroform is used to destroy sick, injured or aged horses, but is 

 not so rapid, convenient, or effective as the 44 calibre revolver, or rifle. 

 The bullet should be directed toward a point upon the forehead at the 



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