172 A TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS. 
Blood when abstracted is taken from the vessel behind the ear 
or from the large vein on the inside of the thigh in cases such as 
apoplexy, heatstroke. The animal having been carefully fettered, 
the part is washed and a string is tightly tied round the limb above 
w^here it is intended to open the vessel ; this raises the vein. An 
incision must be made through the skin and the vein opened. 
Elephants cannot afford to stand a large abstraction of blood ; the 
state of the animal and condition of the pulse should denote when 
enough has been taken. 
Failure of the heart and collapse, and anaemia from excessive 
loss of blood, are the more imminent dangers likely to result from 
injudicious blood-letting. 
