42 



VETERINARY SURGICAL OPERATIONS 



through the flame of a match,, a convenient gas jet, or a lamp. 

 Thus, in a moment a reasonably safe condition can be created, 

 which in view of the urgency of the situation must answer 

 the purpose. But when the situation is less urgent much 

 more pains should be given to this step of the opera- 

 tion. The hairs should be clipped with the scissors, the skin 

 washed with mercuric chloride solution 1-500 and the instru- 

 ment well sterilized as above directed. A bit of vaseline 

 rubbed over the canula will facilitate its abstraction after 

 the gas has been evacuated, but only clean vaseline should 

 be tolerated. If the ointment is not considered safe it might 

 better be omitted. The thrusting of an unclean instrument 



Fig. 23 — Enterocentesis. Position of Surgeon and Instrument. 



into the peritoneal cavity through a dirty, hairy field is to be 

 avoided under all circumstances. Even when the situation 

 is an urgent one, some effort in the direction of surgical clean- 

 liness must be made in order to prevent serious infections of 

 the bowels, peritoneum and abdominal paries. 



Third Step. — Inserting the Canula. — The operator takes 

 a position well forward (Fig. 23) to avoid a possible side- 

 sweeping kick, holds the instrument between the thumb 

 and index finger of the left hand, at a right angle with the 

 level of the region, and then strikes it with the palm of. the 

 right hand, hard enough to send it to its hilt at one stroke. 

 A good, sharp, keen cut is desirable and this can not be ob- 

 tained by pushing the instrument slowly, and besides the 



