The Abdomen 205 



ablated as soon as possible, the incisions being made well into the 

 healthy skin. A general anesthetic should be given. There is usually a 

 prominent nutritive vessel which must be securely ligated. The 

 general technic for removal of tumors is described in the chapter 

 on Neoplasms. 



BIBLIOGRAPHY. 



Deglve — Ann. de M«d. V6t6r. 1ST8. 



Proehner — Monatsheft. f. prakt. Thlerhellk. 6, 1896. 



Hobday — Canine and Feline Surgery. 



Litaaux— Ann. de. M«d. Vetfr. Maich, 1903. 



Moeller — Lehrb. d. spec. Chlrurg. t. Thieraerzt. 



Stoekfleth — Handb. d. thleraerztl. Chlrurg. 



Sutton — Tumors, Innocent and Malignant. 



Walley — Journ. Coirp. Path. & Therap. 4, p. 160. 



The Liver 



EXAMINATION. 



Very little of the normal liver can be palpated through the 

 abdominal wall. When, however, the organ is the seat of neo- 

 plastic or inflammatory changes, this method of examination is 

 very helpful in enabling the practitioner to arrive at a definite 

 " diagnosis. But as with other visceral organs a confirmatory ex- 

 plorative celiotomy is usually necessary. 



TRAUMATIC LESIONS. 



These consist of wounds resulting from stabs or the passage of 

 missiles, and rupture through sudden application of force to the abdo- 

 men such as may occur at a run-over, without the superficial parts 

 exhibiting any trace of injury. Rupture is always very serious 

 because the blood-vessels are held open by the inelastic substance 

 in which they are embedded. I have seen the latter lesion take 

 place from the kick of a horse and be followed by death within 

 ten minutes from hemorrhage, and Goubaux records witnessing 

 an animal die from it within a few minutes after receiving a violent 

 blow in the abdomen. 



Symptoms and Diagnosis. Diagnosis of internal hemorrhage 

 is always difficult and seldom in time for surgical interference. 

 It can only be by constitutional symptoms, viz., blanching of mucous 

 membranes, coldness of extremities and failing heart. There is 

 usually great tenderness immediately over the seat of lesion. 



In all suspected cases explorative celiotomy should be under- 

 taken. 



