204 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



than half the battle in very many of the operations, which 

 fact gives decided advaiitage to the ingenious veterinarian 

 over the less skillful in the art of surgical restraint. The 

 young surgeon, who is none' too familiar with the technique 

 of the operation, may err seriously, or even abandon an 

 operation, because the patient is not in the proper position 

 or because the struggles were not preconsidered as an ad- 

 verse element. 



The recommendations here are to adopt certain well- 

 known methods (standard methods) and then never deviate 

 from them, but instead improve in their application, and 

 never to begin an operation of any kind or character with- 

 out first selecting the most appropriate means of restraint. 

 Whether the operation is that of simply lancing a subglossal 

 abscess or the removal of an abdominal testicle, the re- 

 straint must be given some consideration. In the one the 

 mere application of the twitch will suffice, while in the other 

 a complicated method of exposing the inguinal region is 

 absolutely necessary. From the standpoint of accuracy 

 both are important. Each reVeals the surgeon's attain- 

 ments. 



The equipment necessary to meet every demand con- 

 sists of: (i) An operating table; (2) a casting harness; (3) 

 a side-line and stocks for "standing" operations ; (4) a small 

 table for operations on small animals; (5) a hoodwink; (6) a 

 twitch. 



THE OPERATING TABLE.— The large operating 

 table for the horse is a necessary apparatus for the veter- 

 inary hospital. There is no intention here to discuss the 

 merits of the different kinds. It will be admitted that each 

 one has its special points of superiority and its special de- 

 merits. It will suffice to say that great strength and sim- 

 plicity must be its predominating features. The materials 

 from which it is constructed, the wood, the iron, the hop- 



