370 STRANGULATION OF THE INTESTINES. 
stretch himself out, and curve his loins to a considerable 
extent. After being in the yard for a short time, he re- 
turned into the shed and lay down again, doing this in a very 
careful manner. He soon got up a second time, and stepped 
backwards as before, seemingly for the purpose of getting his 
hind quarters against some resisting body. The man in 
charge of the animal explained that the symptoms had under- 
gone but very little change since he was taken ill, and that 
he had not eaten anything nor voided any faeces. There were, 
however, several evacuations of mucus lying about the yard, 
which had been expelled from the bowels. 
Having procured a waggon-rope, and obtained the assist- 
ance of two or three men, I had the animal caught, and 
examined him per rectum . There were no faeces present, 
but on passing my hand onwards, I readily detected a 
band, which was drawn tightly round the bowel. It 
appeared to pass from behind forwards, and under the 
rectum. By pulling at this the animal struggled from 
pain. Finding this state of things, I at once decided 
upon operating, as I could not see the patient any more that 
day, having many pressing professional engagements. 
I first cut off the hair from the right side, which I prefer 
to do while the animal is standing, that I may know better 
where to commence my incision when he is cast. I will 
here describe my plan of casting the animal, that should any 
person have a preferable one, I may put it in requisition in 
my after-proceedings. I first fastened one end of a rope to 
the off fore leg, then passed it in front and around the near 
fore leg, and afterwards under the part of the rope between 
the legs, so as to pull them close together. Next, it was 
carried between the hind legs and round the near one, and 
then under that part which passed from the fore to the 
hind legs. By then bringing the end of the rope over the 
bullocks back I was enabled to throw him on his near side, 
and prevent his rising by drawing the near hind leg for- 
wards, and fixing it between the fore legs. As the off hind 
leg was still at liberty, it was secured by drawing it back- 
wards and fastening it by another rope to a crowbar fixed 
in the ground. A man was then placed on the animaPs 
neck to keep his head down, and prevent his rising. 
Everything being ready, I commenced the operation by 
cutting through the common integument and abdominal 
muscles midway between the antero-inferior spinous process 
of the ilium and the last rib, a short distance below the 
transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae, so as to avoid 
the arteries of the part. The peritoneum was then broken 
