498 
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
hot water and antiseptics. The incision is made a little anter¬ 
ior and below the left external angle of the ilium and obliquely 
downward and forward in the direction of the muscular fibres. 
This method of making the incision has its advantages and dis¬ 
advantages ; if the edges of the wound can be held together by 
the sutures they will unite quicker and leave a smaller cicatrix 
than when the incision is made across the fibres ; the disadvan¬ 
tages are that the edges of the wound will “gap,” the strain 
upon the stitches is greater than when the incision is made ver¬ 
tically, consequently the operator should use his own judgment 
in choosing the direction of the incision. If the incision is 
made vertically the edges of the wound will naturally draw to¬ 
gether and as a result of this fact the strain on the stitches is 
lessened, but the wound will not heal as readily as when the in¬ 
cision is made in the direction of the muscular fibres. The in¬ 
cision should be made in the left abdominal wall at the point 
mentioned above ; the direction of the incision should be chosen 
A , outline of distended rumen ; b, abdominal wall incised ; c, rumen; d , towel or cloth \e, 
line showing posterior border of ribs ; f, and points where the rumen may be sutured to ab¬ 
dominal walls (ad lib.); inferior angle of incision. 
