DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
693 
may be punctured with the finger in piercing the muscular 
coat and peritoneum, which if it is empty is impossible. The 
accident, however, is generally considered unavoidable on the 
part of the operator, but with the proper precautions a great 
percentage of such accidents can be avoided. The sows to be 
spayed must be given a little exercise just before the operation, 
which will induce omichesis ; besides should the operator no¬ 
tice that it is distended he should empty it by applying press¬ 
ure to it with the hand before piercing the abdominal wall, but 
this condition is seldom noticed before the abdomen is opened, 
and in opening it is when the bladder is generally ruptured. 
Two Methods of Performing Ovarectomy in the Sow. Trans¬ 
lated from Moiler's “ General Surgery f by 
f. IV. Schumacher. 
The ovaries of the pig being fastened to the long intestinal 
horns of the uterus makes it possible (i) to reach both ovaries 
from one flank, and (2) to introduce a probe into the uterus, 
which enables the operator to draw the ovaries to an opening 
in the linea alba. 
According to this, two operations are in use ; one through 
the flank and another through the linea alba. 
The first operation is executed in the following manner : 
the pig is placed on its right side in front of the operator, who 
is seated on a low chair; an assistant holds the hind legs in ex¬ 
tension, wnile the operator holds the animal to the ground with 
his right foot. The hair is shaved from the field of the operation ; 
an incision is made 3 to 4 cm. anterior to the point of the hip, 
in the direction of the external oblique muscle, that is, in a line 
from the backbone to the kneefold. The incision is made large 
enough to admit the right forefinger to pierce the muscles and 
peritoneum. This must be done quickly, vertically to the wall; 
and during an inspiration, or while the pig is squealing, in 
order to prevent the loosening of the peritoneum from the wall. 
The finger so introduced into the cavity searches for the left 
ovary, which is located between the lateral angle of the ilium 
and the median line of the sacrum. The ovary is about the 
size of a bean and hard to the touch. The pig will usually 
squeal when the ovary and uterus are touched, and this is an im¬ 
portant feature in directing the finger. 
The left ovary is brought outside of the wound and held 
with the right hand, while the forefinger of the left hand grad¬ 
ually brings the horn through the wound into the right hand, 
