The Abdomen 



269 



VENTRAL 



among the coils 

 of intestine and 

 grope about for it 

 is time-consum- 

 ing and some- 

 times futile. This 

 c o r n u being 

 found it is fol- 

 lowed up till the 

 ovary is brought 

 to view. With 

 a little gentle 

 traction the lat- 

 ter is brought 

 well without the 

 abdominal wall. 

 The index finger 

 is then thrust 

 through the 

 broad ligament 

 and ligatures 

 are applied 

 above and below 

 the ovary. It is 

 always safest to 



ligate and ligatures of silk are best. As has been pointed out 

 in another part of this work, divided bloodvessels of the abdominal 

 cavity possess a remarkable tendency to bleed when shut off from the 

 clotting influence of the air, and while there are some mechanical 

 devices (spaying scissors, spaying emasculators) on the market by 

 whose action the vessels are crushed, it is infinitely safer to ligate 

 and thereby reduce all risk of secondary hemorrhage to a minimum. 

 It is extremely important to apply ligatures so that all ovarial tissue 

 will be completely occluded. If any portion of the gland is left 

 behind, the object of the operation, when suppression of estruation 

 is aimed at, will be defeated. All tissue within the occluded area is 

 next excised with scissors, the division being made at the upper 

 extremity first. The one ovary being thus removed, the operator 

 follows the cornu back to its junction with its fellow, and follows 



52. Diagram to show course pursued by the 

 finger to quickly reach the coruu. 



