434 OPEEATIONS ON THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



the use of metallic clamps, but an important objection is found in 

 their weight. Borhauer had the branches of the wooden clamp 

 perforated in several places for the iutroduction of the pias which 

 held it in place. Bordonnat has invented a special form of me- 

 tallic clamp or rather forceps, with sharp points on the inner bor- 



FlG. 391.— Clamp of Bordonnat. 



der of one of its branches about one-half or three-quarters of an 

 inch apart, and in the other a corresponding number of holes into 

 which the points are designed to fit when the instrument is closed. 

 Each branch has a prolongation at each end, which on one carries 

 a vertical projection cut with a screw-thread, while in the other 

 there are holes corresponding ynth the projections, and there are 

 nuts to fit the screws. "When the instrument is appUed, and the 

 projections passed through the holes, the nuts not only hold it 

 ia place, but are adapted to fix the pressure at any desired point, 

 or change it at pleasure. The umbUical forceps of Marlot is 

 made of two small wooden plates, slightly curved lengthvnse, and 

 brought together by means of gooves in their dove-tailed extremi- 

 ties, through which screws are fastened. This iastrument, like 

 the metallic clamps, is objectionable principally on account of 

 its weight, and is generally less practical than the ordinaiy clamp. 



(c) Sutures. — These are of various kinds, all agreeing, how- 

 ever, that the stitches upon which they rely shall be so close and 

 tight that the circulation will be so effectually cut off in every 

 part of the hernial sac that mortification cannot fail to follow. 



The Quilled Suture. — This consists in placing the sac between 

 two small rods of hard wood or metal, and tying them before and 

 behind with strong cord twisted and rolled around their extremi- 

 ties, and also by passing here and there in their length sutures of 

 double the strength of those which are apphed in cases of ordi- 

 nary quilled suture. Acting somewhat by pressure, this mode 

 much resembles the treatment by the clamp, but is little used at 

 present, notwithstanding some small advantages which it may be 

 thought to possess. 



