i82 Surgical Diseases and Surgery of the Dog 



account puncture the mucosa. With practice, Halsted believes that 

 one can soon learn to include the submucosa in stitching. 



The entire row of stitches should unfailingly preserve a straight 

 line, and each stitch should be drawn only sufficiently to bring the 

 apposing surfaces fairly in contact. Tightly drawn sutures lead to 

 necrosis of the approximated edges. 



Milliners' needles Nos. 8 and 9, which are somewhat longer 

 than the ordinary cambric needles, should always be used on the 

 intestine. The best suturing material is the finest No. 2 black sew- 

 ing silk, sterilized, and it should be tied in the eye of the needle. 

 Nearly every surgeon of note who has experimented on dogs recom- 

 mends silk. Thick catgut remains unchanged not over seven days 

 as a rule, which cannot be considered a period of sufficient dura- 

 tion for certain coalescence to take place, and when tied the knots 

 interfere with accurate approximation. Fine catgut disappears in 

 less time, while aseptic silk threads can be tied with greater accu- 

 racy and the knots never become loosened, and its permanent pres- 

 ence in the parts never exerts any ill-effect. Where silk was un- 

 obtainable at short notice I have used ordinary sewing cotton (steri- 

 lized) with good results. 



Of the various intestinal sutures it will only be necessary to con- 

 sider those figured in the accompanying illustrations. The first of. 

 these, the simple interrupted suture, should never be employed be- 



No. 39a. Simple Interrupted Buturc. No. 39b. Simple Interrnpted suture. 



cause all the coats are thereby pierced, which permits of possible 

 exudation of intestinal contents. The Lembert suture is very 

 commonly used. In this, the serous surfaces are brought into appo- 



