374 
EDITORIAL. 
him that properly applied this treatment will sometimes “save 
the life of animals considered as positively condemned and in 
cases where the veterinarian would think himself powerless.”" 
For him the indications for saline injections are all cases where 
vascular hypotension is present: ansemia, haemorrhage, sur¬ 
gical infections, intoxications of the blood, and, certainly, good 
results may be looked for in the cases alluded to above and in 
which he has tried them. The principal contra-indications are 
diseases of the kidneys and some lesions of the heart. 
The application of saline solutions has been carried out 
already by Prof. Labat, of Toulouse, who has resorted to venous 
injections (in the jugular). The technic of the operation is quite 
simple. The canula of a trocar (3 millimeters in diameter) is 
attached to a funnel. These are thoroughly disinfected and 
heated to 38° C. The funnel being filled with the saline solu¬ 
tion, the canula of the trocar is introduced into the vein already 
open and the contents poured slowly into the circulation. The 
funnel is kept full so as to avoid the introduction of air. 
The subcutaneous method is perhaps easier and less danger¬ 
ous. A rubber tube, about i metre 50 cent, long, secured by one 
end on the stop-cock of the bottom of a recipient, able to con¬ 
tain 3 litres of solution, and having at the other free end a fine 
needle, constitutes the required instrument. The recipient filled, 
the stop-cock is opened, a little of the fluid is allowed to escape 
and the needle thrust quite deeply in the subcutaneous tissue. 
The solution recommended by Bissauge is made of 8 
grammes of chloride of sodium in one litre of water; it ought 
to have the even temperature of the body, or be a little higher; 
and the quantity to inject has been one litre in dogs, from 3 to 
5 in bovines and in horses. 
The large swelling resulting from the injection generally 
subsides in 40 or 50 minutes. 
* 
* * 
Etiology and Pathogeny of Spavin. — How different 
would be the general idea of many if they knew that the word 
spavin, which to their minds is merely an exostosis, a bunch of 
