INTESTINAL STRANGULATION. 
679 
abdominalis muscle — the external oblique, or the ilio-abdominalis, 
the internal oblique, from above downwards or obliquely for- 
wards, and the incision penetrating to the peritoneum The peri- 
toneum is opened very cautiously, just sufficiently to permit the in- 
troduction of two fingers of the left hand, which may serve as a 
guide for the scalpel with which the opening thus commenced is 
to be enlarged. The right hand being now smeared with some 
oleaginous fluid, and introduced into the cavity of the abdomen, per- 
forates or tears the epiploon which is interposed between it and the 
intestines. The situation of the hernia being now discovered, the 
operator withdraws his hand, in order to grasp the instrument 
with which he intends to operate.” 
“ This instrument is in the form of a crotchet, about five inches 
in length, two and a half of which are occupied by the blade, and 
this is curved and buttoned, cutting with its convex edge. He 
covers this cutting edge by means of his thumb and fore finger, 
and carries it forward on the spermatic cord, a little below the 
strangulated intestines if he can, and there he effects a section of 
the cord. He finishes by completely disengaging this portion of 
the intestines from every thing with which they were entangled, 
carrying the index finger over and through their various convolu- 
tions. He then assures himself that there is no hernia on the other 
side of the abdominal cavity. Last of all, he reunites the lips of 
the wound with two or three sutures, dresses it with some oint- 
ment, places on it a compress, and, over all, a broad band which 
encircles the body. In twenty-four hours he removes the dressings, 
in order to cleanse the wound with warm water. By the next 
day a slight suppuration has usually commenced; after which little 
remains for the surgeon but attention to cleanliness.” 
“ After the division of the great oblique muscle, there will usu- 
ally be a sudden and considerable arterial haemorrhage ; but it al- 
most immediately ceases spontaneously, and requires no ligature.” 
“ While the hand is introduced into the abdominal cavity of the 
animal, as he thus lies before the operator, he is usually perfectly 
quiet, and expresses scarcely any pain when the spermatic cord is 
cut. When the bladder is touched, which is a thing inevitable, 
he begins to urine in a full stream.” 
“ After the operation the belly usually begins to swell : it will 
then be necessary for the practitioner to be on his guard, that the 
intestines do not escape through the incision which he has made. 
Then also the animal may have sudden shivering fits, and his coat 
may stare, but this does not last longer than from three to five 
hours. The swelling of the belly, however, often continues four or 
five days. The first voiding of faeces usually takes place about 
eight hours after the operation. Some gastric symptoms, however, 
