52 
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
the infection, then the process is perfected by sprinkling lightly 
with europhen or iodoform. The former is readily applied to 
the minutest recesses of a wound by insufflation, and the latter 
if selected for the purpose is best applied by spraying with 5 
per cent, to 10 per cent, iodoform ether. The wound is now 
ready to close, being as sterile as it is practicable for the veter¬ 
inarian to make it. ( To be continued.') 
SURGICAL ITEMS. 
Do you have trouble in extracting molars? If so, probably 
your instruments are faulty. There is no feat in the whole do¬ 
main of surgery that requires more dexterity, more judgment 
and more specially constructed instruments than the extraction 
of the molar teeth of horses, and it is pretty safe to venture that 
no procedure is performed with less dexterity, less judgment 
and with less poorly constructed instruments. What we lack - 
in the dexterity that can only be acquired by extensive practice 
might in a large measure be overcome if the instruments were 
properly designed. The manufacturers of instruments, who in¬ 
deed seldom even see a horse and of course have no accurate 
knowledge of the requirements, are usually the designers of our 
dental instruments, so there is no wonder that the requirements 
are seldom met. We Americans who claim to be the very 
“masters of ingenuity ” are far behind our European colleagues 
in this connection, because we trust all to the manufacturers 
and accept their designs as standard when in fact the instru¬ 
ments (I refer only to dental instruments) they furnish are 
scarcely worth their weight in scrap. In a subsequent issue 
the Department of Surgery will devote a chapter or two to 
dental instruments. Any suggestions from the readers of the 
Review that will add to the value of the discussion will be 
highly appreciated and due credit will be given to such con¬ 
tributors. (R. A. M.) 
Professor Williams, of New York State Veterinary College, 
promises the early appearance of a new manual on veterinary 
operations. The book, we are informed, will be confined to a 
lucid description of the technique of the more useful major 
operations performed by the veterinarian. Besides the original 
operations and methods of the author and other American prac¬ 
titioners the work will also include a compilation from Pfeiffer’s 
Operations. While the author’s intention is to supply the want 
of the student it is safe to predict that it will also be received 
with open arms by the practitioners. The veterinarian who 
