ANIMAL CASTKATION. 159 



horns together about midway between the ovary and 

 the body of the uterus, and remove the ligated por- 

 tion; being careful to leave suiScient stump to prevent 

 the ligature slipping. Wash off the parts with ster- 

 ilized water and return them to the abdominal cavity. 

 Pass a silver suture midway of the incision, being 

 careful to include the peritoneum on both sides and 

 taking a good hold of the muscle. 



Keep the finger beneath the wire until the stitch is 

 completed to avoid including any of the abdominal 

 contents in the ligature. On each side of this suture, 

 equidistant from it and the anterior and posterior 

 extremities of the incision, pass wire sutures into the 

 muscle but not going through it, including of course 

 the skin. 



If more sutures are thought necessary, they should 

 be sutures of co-aptation, and include the skin only. 

 Wash off any remaining blood and dust the parts 

 with a dry antiseptic. 



After Treatment.— 'Remove the sutures on the fifth 

 day after the operation, and keep the patient on a 

 diet of milk and water until the sutures are removed. 



Mortality. — The death rate should not be more than 

 1 per cent. Fatal results are usually due to periton- 

 itis or to intestinal obstruction through the character 

 of the early adhesions formed. 



It now remains to consider the rationale of the 

 above procedure, which it will be observed is directed 

 toward a minimum of disturbance of the parts in- 

 volved. 



The horns are ligated together so as to have one 



