CHAPTER 11. 
instruments. weights and measures. 
Instruments. 
The following list of instruments may be found useful as part of 
the equipment of sick elephant camps. 
Cli7iical thermometers. — No elephant establishment should be 
without this invaluable instrument, as it is a never-failing guide to 
the state of the health of the animal or to what it may shortly be. 
If there is a rise of temperature, even if no other symptoms of ill- 
health are manifest, we may rest assured that disease in some form 
will soon make itself evident : a rise of temperature is a certain indi- 
cation that the animal is indisposed and should therefore be relieved 
from work and carefully treated and watched {vide Fever, page 165). 
Forceps. — Two pairs ordinary spring forceps, one pair bow 
dressing forceps 8 ins. or 10 ins. in length. These are useful for 
removing soiled dressings, maggots from wounds, etc. One or two 
pairs of artery forceps, Pean's pattern, long jaw. 
Suture needles. — Three Joger's needles for strong sutures, three 
Gerlach's folding needles with slide catch. Needles for use with 
elephants should, owing to the thickness of the skin, be provided 
with very sharp points and handles, and be specially made to carry 
moderately stout catgut and wire as the lighter kinds of sutures 
will not hold. 
Seton jieedles. — Two : jointed, i 2 ins. long, curved on the flat — 
one probe pointed, the other sharp pointed and provided with handle. 
One English pattern 20 ins. long with handle. A seton is an agency 
the effect of which is to promote the formation of purulent matter 
and to sustain the suppurative process after it has been established. 
In elephant practice setons are most useful in draining abscess 
cavities and pouches. The operation consists in passing a piece of 
tape or band of linen under the skin, and in this connection it is best 
to push the needle from below upwards, the reason being that no 
pouches are made in which matter can collect. The ends of the 
tape are secured either by tying round corks or sticks, or by knotting. 
The tape to increase the irritation is next smeared with something 
which promotes suppuration, such as turpentine, croton oil, can- 
tharides ointment. 
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