DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
375 
from being injured while the incision is completed. After 
completing the operation in question the peritoneum and mus¬ 
cles must be sutured with catgut, and the skin with strong silk 
sutures. 
If the operator is thorough in his aseptic methods, one of 
the following incisions may be chosen (Fig. n). The first con¬ 
sists of an incision made on three sides of a rectangular figure 
_ • o o 
(A) five centimetres wide and the required or desired length ; 
the skin, subcutaneous tissue and the panniculus carnosis is 
separated from the external oblique muscle and turned back as 
in (Fig. ii A) ; all haemorrhage should be arrested by the 
usual method ; a dry aseptic cloth is placed over the opening 
thus formed, and a corresponding opening made into it ; and 
then, an incision (b) is made through the abdominal muscles 
and peritoneum with the usual precautions (not to injure the 
viscera). After the desired operation has been completed, the 
peritoneum and muscles should be sutured with catgut (Fig. n 
A b) ; the panniculus, subcutaneous tissue and skin must be 
substantially sutured with strong silk, as represented in (Fig. 
ii b B), leaving an opening (a B) at the lower portion of the 
wound for drainage. 
The second method consists of an incision made on two 
sides of a triangular figure (Fig. ii c), through the same 
structures as mentioned above and with the same aseptic pre¬ 
cautions. The incision through the abdominal muscles and 
peritoneum may be curved (Fig. 11 C b) or straight and in closing 
. it catgut sutures should be used, but in making the external 
suture, strong silk stitches are required (Fig. ii D b). The 
lower angle of the incision (a) should be left open for drainage. 
The after treatment will depend upon the indications: if 
the work was done aseptically the edges of the wound will 
promptly unite ; if there is no indication of sepsis the dressings 
should not be disturbed; if undue inflammation follows it must 
be treated as the indications demand ; and the attention given 
to drainage should depend upon the wound discharges. In the 
large animals it is not practical to apply fabric bandages 
encircling the entire body, for these cannot be kept in place 
well enough to form a safe protection for an abdominal section. 
A satisfactory method of protecting the wound against infection 
is to first provide a small opening at the bottom and plug it 
with a wad of antiseptic cotton, then after patiently drying the 
whole region it is painted with a layer of rosin and ether solu¬ 
tion and then matted with cotton wool. Several layers are 
