DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
691 
which may result from negligence or improper execution of 
some of the important steps which may appear unimportant 
during the operation ; such oversight, negligence or indifference 
is often the cause of slow recoveries ; the following mentioned 
in order of their importance should receive special attention : 
(a) Pockets or sinuses in the edges of the surgical wound. 
(b) Adhesions of the viscera to the abdominal walls in the 
region of the cicatrix. 
(e) Haemorrhage. 
(d) Peritonitis. 
(a) Pockets or Sinuses, —These are formed by separating the 
layers of the muscular coat from one another, or the muscular 
coat from the peritoneum or skin, by piercing the wall with the 
linger, which may tear the connective tissue that separates 
these structures from one another. To eradicate these sinuses 
the peritoneum and the muscular coat are torn beyond the ex¬ 
tremities made in the skin. The lateral sides of the wound 
must be examined and all the sinuses and pockets destroyed ; 
unless these are properly treated before the wound is closed fis- 
tulae are likely to follow. 
(b) Adhesions of Viscera. —When any part of the viscera is 
sutured or enclosed in the wound by the stitches, it will unite 
with the wall at the cicatrix ; this condition may not prove seri¬ 
ous, but nevertheless will impair the health of the animal and 
reduce its value. Upon post-mortem of spayed sows it is not 
uncommon to find a dilatation of the intestine anterior to this 
adhesion. Animals thus affected are generally not as thrifty as 
the remainder of the herd, but present no symptoms of disease. 
The horns of the uterus may also adhere to the wall at the cica¬ 
trix. The union of this viscus is not so serious as the one previ¬ 
ously mentioned ; but in some instances the intestine passes over 
the horn and forms a loop which may become strangulated; how¬ 
ever, this is not a common condition, but one found occasionally 
in abattoirs; whether or not this change in the relation of the 
viscera ever proves serious, we are unable to tell. 
(c) Hcemorrhage. —In young animals this is not an impor¬ 
tant factor, and demands but little attention ; if it is more con¬ 
venient to cut the ovaries than to remove them by torsion, the 
operator need not hesitate to do so for fear of haemorrhage ; 
but in old or pregnant sows, however, there is more danger of 
haemorrhage than in the young ones, and it is necessary to take 
all precautions to prevent it. The ovaries in such cases must 
never be excised with a sharp instrument without placing a 
