Stricture or Atresia of the Teats 999 



The dilation of the canal or cistern by incision has been quite 

 largely practiced for many years, and numerous instruments have 

 been devised and recommended for carrying out the operation. 

 The stilette of an ordinary trocar serves the purposes of dilating 

 the teat canal quite effectively, in so far as the immediate results 

 are concerned. Various instruments, known as milk needles, 

 and having a small caliber and the stilette of a trocar, have been 

 devised for this purpose. Some operators have used a small 

 lancet, a probe-pointed bistoury, or a bistoury cache. Various 

 forms of the latter have been recommended, such as a and d, 

 Fig. 143, and many other forms involving similar principles. 



The perforator of Fraun, Fig. i43-i, has been highly recom- 

 mended by some, because with it transverse membranes may be 

 perforated, and the perforation enlarged by means of the four 

 blades, which can be pressed out laterally after the introduction 

 of the instrument into the constricted portion. 



In addition to these cutting instruments, one requires, for 

 handling the teat after the operation, one of the ordinary forms 

 of milk tubes, by which the edges of the wound may be kept 

 apart, and their adhesion prevented during the process of heal- 

 ing, and with which the milk may be drawn with the- least 

 possible injury. It is highly important that milk tubes, or other 

 instruments designed to remain in the teat, should be of pure 

 silver, because the silver is antiseptic. 



The operative dilation of the teat may be undertaken upon the 

 standing animal. The foot upon the affected side may be secured 

 by passing a side line around it, and thence around the limb oppo- 

 site, the end of the line being held by an a.ssistant ; or the oper- 

 ator may place himself upon the opposite side to the affected 

 teat, under the assumption that the cow will kick with the foot 

 upon the affected side. It is better, however, that the. animal 

 should be cast, or still better, confined upon an operating table, 

 where the antiseptic precautions can be more effectively applied. 

 The instruments, hands and teat should be thoroughly disin- 

 fected, and the cistern should be carefully washed out with sterile 

 water. Some even recommend that the cistern be washed out 

 with a I -1000 corrosive sublimate solution, by means of a 

 hypodermic syringe. 



The operator grasps the teat with one hand, above the point of 

 obstruction if possible, presses the milk down against the obstruc- 



