28 



VETERINARY SURGICAL OPERATIONS 



is held in four different positions :— (i) The pen-holder po- 

 sition with the blade downward (Fig. 6) to make incisions 

 toward the operator. (2) The back-hand position with the 

 blade downward, (Fig. 7) to make incisions from the oper- 

 ator. (3) The palmar position with the index finger upon 

 the back of the blade (Fig. 8) to make. incisions where strong 

 downward pressure is required. (4) The palmar position 

 with the cutting edge upward (Fig. 9) to make incisions from 

 within outwards. The first three positions meet every re- 

 quirement of almost every surgical operation on domestic 



Fig. 9— Palmar Position. 



Fig. 10— Penholder Position, 

 Blade Up. 



Fig. 12. Fig. 18. 



Figs. 11, 12, 13— Other Positions for Holding the Scalpel, not 

 Described in the List. 



animals. Other special positions are only modifications of 

 these, acquired by simply bending the wrist or fingers into 

 different angles. 



It is important always to hold a scalpel in such a position 

 of safety as to provide against a sudden movement of the 

 field. There are certain positions described in works on hu- 

 man surgery that the veterinary surgeon must regard as pos- 

 itively hazardous. A sudden movement against, a scalpel 

 pointing straight at an articulation, synovial sac, etc., for ex- 

 ample, ofttimes ends disastrously by plunging the knife into 

 such forbidden structures. 



The part to be incised is submitted to as much tension as 



