812 
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY. 
SURGICAL ITEMS. 
Application of Plaster of Paris Bandages .—Hard bandages, 
such as are made with plaster of Paris, are u$ed so frequently in 
out practice that a word about them can never go amiss. Kvery 
veteiinarian has his particular method of adjusting them, and 
if the results have been in every way satisfactory no deviation 
from accustomed methods is advisable. It is always much bet- 
tei to follow accustomed methods that have proven satisfactory 
than to. experiment with new ones. One point never to be for¬ 
gotten in their application and which is probably the cause of 
failure in many instances, is that such bandages should be 
hardened and perfectly unresisting as soon as the work of ap- 
pl\ ing them is completed. If a plaster of Paris bandag'e requires 
e\ en sevetal minutes to become hard the movements of the 
patient may. unset” the bone. The following method will 
give the desired results: Provide yourself with abundance of 
cheese cloth lipped into bandages 6 meters long and io centi¬ 
meters wide, soak and roll them in a thin solution of plaster 
of Paris and let them remain in the solution while the patient is 
being piepaied for the application. When the bone is properly 
set carefully apply one of the bandages over the whole area to 
be covered. Then in another container make a thick solution 
of the plaster and add to it 30 grams (one ounce) of powdered 
alum. . Plaster this thick solution thickly over the whole area 
and quickly (it will “ set ” rapidly) apply the second bandage. 
Over this second bandage plaster another coating of the plaster of 
Paiis and alum solution, freshly made again as the first will now 
be. too hard to use. Repeat this until the desired thickness is ob¬ 
tained. When the last bandage is applied the whole bandage 
will be very hard and displacement of the bone will then be 
impossible. Plaster of Paris bandages should always cover a 
liberal surface. P A or the pastern the lower two-thirds of the 
metacarpus and the whole foot must be included. For the met¬ 
acarpus the lower third of the radius, carpus and fetlock must 
be covered, etc. 
To remove such a bandage soak it in dilute acetic acid or 
vinegar which is a perfect solvent for plaster of Paris. Pour 
the acid along the line to be cut and cut the cloth with a knife 
layer after layer. 
A plaster of Paris bandage should never be left upon a 
hoise s leg longer than four weeks. If the healing has not 
progressed to a safe point another softer one is applied. The 
restlessness of the larger veterinary patients causes bandage 
