AMPUTATION OF THE TONGUE 393 



lation with anti-tetatnic serum particularly advisable alter 

 every caudal myotomy. 



2. Secondary Haemorrhage follows insufficient cauteri- 

 zation. It is generally observed from ten to twenty minutes 

 after removal of the tourniquet and unless arrested consid- 

 able blood will be lost before the flow ceases spontaneously. 

 It is therefore advisable to watch the patient during the first 

 half hour for this accident and to meet this possible accident 

 the hot iron should be kept in readiness. 



3. Exuberant Granulations. — If the tissues underlying 

 the eschar become infected, exuberant granulations will pre- 

 cede cicatrization. The bony stump is seen protruding 

 through their center and until its exfoliation is complete, 

 little headway can be made toward healing the wound. Mild 

 astringents pending the casting off of the bone and stronger 

 ones after this event has occurred will be the only treatment 

 necessary. 



When the operation has been properly performed as re- 

 gards thorough cauterization and thorough pre-operative 

 cleansing, the cicatrizing process proceeds without apparent 

 reaction and is almost complete when the eschar falls off at 

 the end of three weeks. 



CAUDAL AMPUTATION IN OTHER ANIMALS.— 

 The hot iron cauterization following snipping off of the 

 stump by means of shears or other instrument strong enough 

 to cut through the tail at one suddent stroke", is by far the 

 best method of amputation in all animals. The operation is 

 finished at once ; there is no after-care required, and the es- 

 char is the best coating imaginable against infection of the 

 healing stump, which on account of its location, is continually 

 exposed to dangerous contaminations. 



However, when the dovetail method is deemed desirable, 

 it, too, may be performed upon the other domestic animals. 



Amputation of the Tongue. 



INDICATIONS. — There are two indications for lingual 

 amputation in the horse, namely, lacerations or contusions 

 threatening its integrity and incurable tongue lolling. In 

 the former, reparative surgery is always preferable whenever 

 there is any chance of conserving the injured organ, but when 

 gangrene is imminent there is no other choice. The opera- 

 tion is, however, postponed until the line of demarcation 

 reveals itself so that the section can be located in the sound 

 tissues above. 



