8o 



OVARIOTOMY OF TROUBLESOME MARES. 



The ovaries are then sought for. In size they may vary from 

 a walnut to a large cocoanut, and to the touch they may be 

 hard and cartilaginous or soft and cystic. They hang dependent 

 from the spine within easy reach of the hand when just passed 

 through the vagina as far as the wrist, and, if any difficulty 

 exists in finding them, can be readily discovered by manipulation 

 towards the extremities of the horns of the uterus. Taking 

 one ovary at a time, the organ is held in the palhi of the right 



OTEROS 



Fig. 32 

 Diagram shewing the relative position of the pelvic organs and the site of operation.' 



hand whilst the operator, with the left, passes the ecraseur into 

 the vagina and abdomen, using the right arm as a guide. The 

 ecraseur chain is then looped carefully over the ovary (which is 

 retained in the hand) and tightened very slowly by an assistant 

 until the organ is pinched or torn off. The chain is left on for 

 a few moments to ensure absence of haemorrhage, and the same 

 process is repeated with the other. It is not generally necessary 

 to withdraw the Ecraseur until both have been taken off, but 



1 For this sketch I am indebted to Mr C. C. Abram, M.R.C.V.S. 



