THE OPERATION. 31 
half or two inches in a slight curve, then take a 
sudden turn upward toward the breast. Usually 
the “joints’’ in the two ribs appear plainly and 
prominently. Just look for the two slightly raised, 
whitish, almost knob-like spots. Often the two 
ribs lie quite closely 
together, and perhaps 
the end of the muscle 
—a fiat layer of flesh 
—extends over them. 
An examination of 
Fig. 12 will give you 
a pretty clear idea 
where to look for the 
spot. Here the loca- Fig. 12. LOCATION OF RIBS, 
tion of ribs is plainly shown. The dotted line be- 
tween the last two ribs is the right place for making 
the incision. 
Now proceed by taking 
the knife in the right 
hand as shown in Fig. 13. 
Then with the left hand, 
reaching over the right, 
push the skin and muscle from the bared spot toward 
the hip and hold it there. Observe the two whitish 
little spots which form the joints of the last two 
ribs, and set the point of the knife right 
between them, making an incision by a 
quick dip, at the same time slightly 
drawing the knife between the two ribs toward the 
back bone. The length of the incision should be 
about one inch. With the intestines nearly empty 
there is no danger of injury to them, even if the 
Fiq. 18. HOoupInG THE KNIFE. 
Making the 
Incision. 
