DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
499 
by the operator, for in some instances the advantages gained by 
making it in one direction will more than counterbalance the 
disadvantages of the other ; the incision should be from fifteen 
to eighteen centimeters in length ; the skin and the muscles 
should be incised to the peritoneum, and then a small opening 
made into it at the superior part of the incision and incised with 
a probe-pointed bistoury or with the assistance of two fingers 
and a scalpel. If the rumen is so distended that it cannot be 
drawn through the incision, the gas should be allowed to escape 
by puncturing or making a small incision into it ; a towel 
must be used to prevent the contents which may escape with 
the gas from entering the abdominal cavity. The incision into 
the rumen is made in the direction of the abdominal incision, 
and when the rumen is opened, a clean aseptic towel or cloth is 
inserted into the opening (Fig. 20) to prevent the contents of 
the rumen from entering the abdominal cavity ; the towel may 
be stitched to the edges of the incision (Fig. 20,/,/ ' and g.) 
but with the assistance of an attendant this procedure can be 
omitted. When the contents of the rumen has been removed 
the incision of the rumen is sutured as in gastrorraphy and the 
abdominal opening as mentioned in celiotomy. 
After-treatment .—Food stimulating the functional activity 
of the rumen must be withheld ; small quantities of water with 
the “ chill taken off” may be given at short intervals ; stimu¬ 
lants may be added to the water. Moller refers to the adminis¬ 
tration of stimulants into the rumen before closing the incision, 
when there is danger of shock producing unconsciousness. 
After the third or fourth day easily digested food should be 
given in small quantities, and increased gradually. The vital¬ 
ity of the patient must be maintained by the administration of 
stimulants during the first two or three days after the operation. 
If the wound in the rumen was made with aseptic precautions 
it will require no attention ; the lower part of the incision into 
the abdominal walls should be sutured so as to establish good 
drainage, and if no symptoms of sepsis are perceptible, it should 
not be redressed before the sixth or seventh day. In every case 
the patient must be kept quiet and away from other animals 
and flies ; the comfort of the animal adds much to the probabil¬ 
ities of a good recovery. 
OvaiAotomy. Ovarectomy or Oophorectomy (total ablation of 
the ovaries) of domestic animals deserves more than casual no¬ 
tice in a detailed discussion of abdominal surgery, because it is 
the most frequent if not the most important abdominal opera- 
