PREFACE. 



In writing this book the author has endeavored to explain 

 in a plain manner all a student or practitioner desires to know 

 about the veterinary surgical operations which have been tried 

 and found useful. Untried procedures, passing surgical novelties 

 and classical operations more picturesque then adaptable to our 

 purpose, have been intentionally omitted. Attempt has been 

 made to describe every phase of these useful operations in the 

 minutest possible manner, sometimes at the risk of inviting 

 criticism for apparently unnecessary repetitions. The fact that 

 knowledge of minor details of surgical technique is indis- 

 pensable to the successful practice of surgery was kept promi- 

 nently in mind thoughout. The methods of performance are 

 those used in our daily work ; the conclusions as to the useful- 

 ness of the operations are the resume of our own observations ; 

 and the accidents and untoward results are records of actual 

 events. 



If it had not been thought more confusing than instructive, 

 and if space had permitted, the opinions and modern methods 

 of others would have been described. The reader is invoked 

 not to interpret this apparent display of conceit as entirely a 

 matter of choice, since the capacity of the volume is already 

 overtaxed. 



The illustrations are from photographs taken specially and 

 at random by my colleague, Dr. H. E. Torgeson, from original 

 drawings and from copies obtained "by Mr. Eger from the vari- 

 ous sources mentioned in the descriptions. 



