204 ANTHROPOLOGY. 
cular region. It thus comes into play in such diseases as plethora, inflam - 
mation, congestion, cramps, fever, &. The principal methods of extracting 
blood are as follows. 
1. ScARIFICATION. This consists in making numerous superficial inci- 
sions in the skin of a particular spot with a lancet (pl. 140, figs. 1 and 2), or 
with some special apparatus, for the purpose of removing fluids from -» 
capillaries or from the cellular tissue. 
A convenient instrument for this purpose is known as the ssiurpfessi 
(jig. 31 a b), which consists of a cubical brass box in which ten to sixteen 
lancets turn on a common pivot so as to have their points project above the 
surface ; the extent of their projection is regulated by a screw. On draw- 
ing back the handle, the lanceis disappear beneath the surface and are there 
held by a spring. Bringing the scarificator over a given spot, and loosening 
the spring, the lancets will all fly out at once, and produce as many delicate 
incisions. ‘The operation of cupping is usually connected with the use of 
this instrument, and is intended to facilitate the flow of the fluids to be 
extracted. The cups, consisting of little bells of glass, are laid over the spot 
scarified, and the included air exhausted by means of a burning piece of 
paper, previously introduced. The pressure of the external air causes the 
blood to flow freely. ‘Sometimes the exhaustion is produced by means of a 
small air-pump.. 
2. VENESECTION, or BLoop-LETTING, is a time-honored operation, con- 
stantly brought into requisition ; it consists in opening a single vein, and 
permitting as much blood to flow therefrom as may be desirable. 
The surgical apparatus necessary in blood-letting includes a soft linen 
bandage of about a yard in length and two inches in breadth; a bleeding 
lancet (fig. 1), which, in the hands of a skilful operator, has great advan- 
tages over the spring lancet; a compress formed of a roll of linen about a 
yard long and two inches broad; proper vessels for receiving the blood; a 
soft sponge, and clean lukewarm water. 
Bleeding with the spring lancet (fig. 32 ab, the common spring lancet; 
“fig. 33, the lancet of Walbaum; fig. 34, the lancet of Perret, a, 6, c, various 
blades) requires the same preparations as with the common lancet. After 
the vein has been prepared, the spring of the lancet is to be set, and ‘the 
blade brought over the spot where the incision is to be made. On touching 
the spring, ‘the blade is liberated and pierces the vein. 
Pl: 139, fig. 1, bend of the aes or the usual spot for blood-letting, the 
skin supposed to be removed: ', trunk of the basilic vein in the depression 
along the inner border of the biceps brachii; *, cephalic vein on the outer 
side of the biceps, and separated from the nerve by the fascia; * *, basilic 
and cephalic veins on the forearm; ‘, a probe introduced under the brachial 
artery; °, median vein which communicates with the deep vein in front of 
the opening in the aponeurotic membrane, and divides above to unite by a 
short branch (median cephalic) with the cephalic vein, and by a longer 
branch (median basilic) with the basilic vein; °, superficial posterior basilic 
vein ;°"; superficial posterior cephalic vein; *, trunk of the great internal 
brachial nerve on the inside of the basilic vein; *, muscular cutaneous 
210 
