is given to an assistant to hold. A sufficient pull on the rope will
raise the leg from the ground and carry it forward (fig. 2). The
patient is thus prevented from kicking with either of his legs.

Surrounding the base of the neck with a loop of the plate-longe
secured with a straight knot, in order to avoid pressure upon the




Fig. 2. — Hind limb lifted and carried forward by means of the kicking-strap. (From a photograph.)

trachea, then carrying its free end between the hind canons,
passing it round the coronet of the leg to be raised, and bringing it
l)ack to the elbow to cross, is not a thing to be recommended : if
the animal struggles, the rope may bruise or chafe the skin of the
coronet, or even the subcutaneous tissues.

To immobilize the two hind legs, two hobbles are used, one single,
the other, the king hobble ; these are placed round the hind coro-
nets, the ring turned forward and the chain or rope of the main hob-
ble passed through the ring of the other. It is stayed with a knot or
in the usual way, and then its free end is carried forwards between
â–  the fore legs, around one or the other of the shoulders, to the back,
to the sides of the chest, and to the e'lbow, where, crossing itself from
within outwards, it is entrusted to an assistant (fig. 3).

There are other devices : Put upon the horse a surcingle having-
two rings on its outer surface, one on each side of the vertebral col-
umn, take two strong ropes or plate-longes, fix them at one end
round the coronets, pass them forward through each corresponding-



6*



VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS.



ring of the surcingle, and tie them at the head on the nose band of
the halter or of the cavesson (Keller). Put hobbles on the hind coro-
nets, pass each of the ropes round the superior part of the corre-
sponding forearm and tie them together over the withers.

The " Ze Goff hobble" allows the immobilizing of either fore or
hind quarter. In the former case, the apparatus, which has the
shape of a Y, is fixed to the two fore and one of the hind coronets.
If one operates on the hind quarter, the two posterior coronets and
one anterior are secured in the slip knots of the apparatus.




Fig. 3. — Contention of the hind limbs.

To limit the movements of the two legs on the same side of an
animal, both can be secured with two of the branches of the Le Goff
hobble, or with a rope or strap having a slip knot at each end.
(Chelchowsky. )

The Hippo-ldsso or lasso-breaker 0/ Raabe and Lunel, a kind of
strait-jacket for animals, is composed of a Dutch collar and a
breeching which can be brought close together by two lateral straps,
so as to diminish, at will, the base of sustentation of the animal
(fig. 4)- In pulling the straps tight, the possibility of the displace-
ment of the extremities is limited, and even prevented, if the tighten-
ing is sufficient to threaten the animal with a fall. The advantages
of this apparatus are already well known, and nothing can be added
to what has already been said by Lecoq, Rey, Bouley, and many
others. It can be replaced by an ordinary plate-Ionge or two ropes



SECURING OF SOLIPEDS. 7

or straps. The plate-longe is passed around the animal, at the
height of the superior part of the forearms and above the hocks, and
secured, the two ropes or straps thrown over the withers, and the
loins are tightened to it on both sides. (Butel. )

The electric hit, invented' by de Place, to render the shoeing of
restive horses easier, could also be utilized to assist in the perform-
ance of other operations in the standing position.

It is composed of a box containing a chloride of ammonium pile,
a graduated interrupting inductor bobbin, conductors to carry a
communication between the bobbin and the mouth of the horse, and
a special bit.




Fig. 4. — Hippo-strap. — B, B', b, buckles; L, tliong, its end being attached to the breeching.



It is a volta-faradic apparatus giving inductive currents (fig. 5).
*'The pile is connected by a commutator D to the thread of the bob-
bin, whose induction is carried to the bit through the medium of the
two collectors of currents A and B. The bobbin thus gives currents
of induction which are repeated as many times a minute as the
interruptor I oscillates in the same time. A special apparatus, consist-
ing of a commutator button E and a third collector of currents C,
allows the operator to vary the number of shocks, the intensity of
which in both cases is regulated by means of an induction coil
with a graduated tube F, which gives a stronger current the further
it is removed from the bobbin. All that is required to put the in-
strument in action is to move the commutator D upon its vertical
axis in such a manner that its metallic end will rest on the button H.
If the interruptor or current breaker does not at once do its work, it
can be made to vibrate gently with the finger; and its motions will
then continue.

"To use this apparatus, a cavesson is placed on the horse's head,



8



VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS.




Fig. 5. — Place's volta-faradic apparatus



held by a strong man, the bit put into the animal's mouth, and con-
ductors, which at their other end are secured in the holes of the col-
lectors A and B, attached to the extremities. The commutator D is
turned on, and the operator, holding the instrument in his left arm,

watches the motions of the an-
imal, which may give him a
notion of what to expect. The
first shock is given by pressing
the button E. The animal
rears, backs, while the assist-
ant, following it in its move-
ments, firmly but without jerks
pulls on the cavesson. At the
slightest show of resistance he
gives a second or a third shock
as the case may require."
It. often happens that after this the animal remains quiet. If it
resists, the conductors are attached to B and C, and the graduating
tube drawn away to a greater or less distance. The continuous cur-
rent can be stopped or allowed to go on by movements of the com-
mutator D.

While most high bred animals will be subdued by the first shock,
even when it is very light, some of common, low breed, and of un-
usual viciousness, will stand all the strength of the current and
become submissive only after several shocks.

We shall not here describe the ordinary posi stocks, whose first
types go back to the days of Greek hippiatres. They are found
more or less everywhere. They immobilize the patients well, pre-
vent lateral movements, falls on the ground, and injuries to assist-
ants and operators. Though little used in Germany they find great
favor in France. In the absence of stocks, Lucet recommends a
contrivance very practical in country districts — a two wheeled
truck, firmly blocked to prevent its moving, and with the shafts well
secured at a proper height. Into this the horse is introduced be-
tween the shafts head first and securely tied, while a bar placed
transversely behind his haunches maybe used to fix one of his legs,
as is done in the post stocks.

Vinsot has invented an advantageous moving stock, which permits
of an operation being performed in the standing or the recumbent
position (fig. 6). To place the horse in those stocks, open by re-
moving the horizontal bar (b), which is returned to its place when
the animal is in. The head is fixed to the front upright posts ; under
the chest an apron is stretched, carrying two prolongations, which,
passed between the posterior legs, support the hind quarters. The



SECURING OF SOLIPEDS.



feet are fixed with hobbles to a metallic chain (c) resting on the
ground, in the axis of the apparatus, and stretched by a crank. The
anterior legs may be attached to the side bars, the posterior to the




Fig. 6. — Vinsot's apparatus.

posterior transverse bar by the means of the crank. For castration
standing, the left hind leg is carried backwards, the operator bending
down under the left flank. Setons, opening of abscesses, dental opera-
tions, firing on small surfaces, thinning of the horn, several opera-
tions upon the foot, and their dressings are easily performed with
this apparatus. {See. Recueil de Medecine Veterinaire, 1892, page 72.)

De St. Maurine, an army veterinarian, is the inventor of a wooden
moving stock, of easy construction, and less costly, with which an
animal can be secured standing, or lying down, as in the Daviau
bed.

There are many other means of restraint — the list is very long.
The simplest, however, are the best. The animal is brought to the
place where it is to be operated upon, its head is covered with a cap ;
a twitch is used to distract its attention ; a fore or a hind leg is
raised ; if all this fails, the animal is to be secured in the recumbent
position.

Restraint While Lying Down.



CASTING WITH HOBBLES.



When the operation is to last some time, is painful, or demands an
immobility as complete as possible, the animal is thrown down.
\x\ the country, this is done ordinarily upon a straw bed sufifi-



lO



VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS.



ciently thick to prevent fractures from falling. Frequently it is done
in afield close to the stable, in a yard, under a shed, where is made a
straw bed of variable thickness, according to the hardness of the
ground upon which the animal is to fall.

Restraint upon a straw bed is objectionable, since it makes perfect
asepsis of the wounds difficult ; on that account special mattresses
are recommended. That of Merle, which we employ, is formed of
four sacks of impermeable cloths, filled with straw and measuring
three meters in length by sixty centimeters in width and hooked
together with covered hooks. When the animal is to be turned
over, the sacks upon which the legs are resting are unhooked and
placed on the other side of the mattress where the animal will rest.
The disinfection is easy, the cost of the apparatus trifling. A
simple awning stretched over the straw bed has the same advantages.




Fig. 7.— Throwing of the horse. Common process. (From a photograph.)



The horse, with an empty stomach, the head held with a bridle
or a strong halter and covered with a cap, is brought near the bed
and held by an assistant. The hobbles, with buckles converging, are
placed on the four legs— the main hobble fixed on the anterior
leg opposite the one on which the animal will lie. The chain of the
hobble is then passed through the ring of the hind leg of the same
side, then through that of the two others and brought back to the
king hobble. A plate-longe is passed round the body, back of the
withers. Two assistants hold its extremities. Another grasps the
tail to pull on it in the same direction as those on the rope of the
body (fig. 7). In order that the animal may not fall too heavily.



SECURING OF SOLIPEDS.



II



the legs are brought close together by backing, or by carrying the
hind legs forward. The chain is put on the stretch by the steady
pull of three or four assistants. At a given signal, a common action
takes place, the legs are brought together, and the animal, feeling
its threatened fall, bends its legs, while the traction on the trunk, the
tail, and the head bears down the mass of the body. When the
horse is cast the head should immediately be stretched out lying
down.

The chain of the hobbles is secured by a fastener of any kind, or a
padlock passed through one of the links.




Fig. 8. — Throwing process in use at the Berlin College. (Moller.)

The apparatus of Bernadot and Butel (fig. 7), has proved advan-
tageous in keeping the head and neck extended, and preventing the
arching of the vertebral column and violent struggling.

The process used at the surgical clinic of Berlin differs from the pre-
ceding in the manner the plate-longe is placed ; this has in its
middle a wide loop passed under the shoulder of the leg opposite
to the side on which the horse is to be thrown (fig. 8), the straw bed
being covered besides with a wide leather mattress.

When one has to deal with an irritable or very strong animal
which has been cast for operations on previous occasions, he must



12



VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS.



act quickly. As soon as one hobble is put in position, those
â– animals will become nervous, kick, and be more or less dangerous to
-approach. It is for them that Trasbot recommends the use of the
foot-raiser, which is placed on the fore leg opposite to the side upon
which the animal will fall. When once this is in place, the animal is
made to go round the straw bed once or twice. He resists, rears,
struggles, but soon submits himself to the placing of the hobbles.
The chain of the king hobble, which has been placed on the hind
leg of the side of the secured fore foot, is then run through the ring
â– of the hobble of the other hind foot, then round that of the fore leg,
which is on the ground, and brought back to the king hobble




Fig. 9.— Tlirowing with the foot-lift.



(fig. 9). The horse is cast with three hobbles, the foot held by the
foot-raiser remaining free.

Thus thrown, the horse reacts less, his struggles are less violent,
there is less possibility of fractures by muscular contractions.

It is often necessary to change the position of a leg. For opera-
tions of the inguinal region, the upper hind leg is carried forward
and secured on the corresponding shoulder. A side line fixed to the
coronet or the fetlock is carried toward the withers, then under the
neck, brought back to the inferior part of the -leg from below up-
wards, and then in the direction of the croup.

To operate with more facility in the inguinal region (hernia, cryp-
torchidy), the upper hind leg can be carried in excessive abduction as
follows : Two side lines fixed on the canon .are passed through,



SECURING OF SOLITEDS.



IS



rings sealed in the wall, or round solid posts secured to the floor,
and are pulled, one in the direction of the withers, the other per-
pendicularly to the vertebral column.




Fig. lo.— The right fore limb is carried upon the corresponding hind hmb. (From a photograph.)

If one fore leg has been displaced and secured on the superficial
hind one, the side lines fixed to the canon of the first are carried to
ward the lower part of the leg, passed over and under it, then for-




Fig. II.— The riglit hind limb is carried upon the corresponding fore limb. (From a photograph.)

w^ard, twisting round the forearm, first under and then over it, the
assistants pulling on the side lines when the foot is out of the hob-
ble, as in fig. ID. Then the leg is secured by two figure 8 twists.
and a circular knot.

If it is a hind leg- which is to be carried forward, the side line fixed
upon its canon is passed round the lower third of the forearm, over



14



VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS.



and under, brought back on the leg and drawn by two assistants to-
ward the croup. Another side line stretched above the knee assists
considerably the manipulation. (Fig. ii.)




Fig. 12 — Bracy-Clark's hobble

With a figure 8 twist above the knee or above the hocks, the fore
leg or hind leg being secured, can be carried either forward or back-
ward with a side bar.

To place the animal on his back, the chain, passed into a ring or
to pulley above, is pulled upon and held by two or three assistants.




su^*""



Fig. 13— English hobbles,— A, disconnected hobble; b, e, long strap; i, n, short strap; a, buckle
with its tongue.— C, appearance of the hobble when fastened in its place.— B, king hobble; c,
key.— E, swivel hook. (Peuch and Touissant)

The animal can be held in the same position with a bar passed be-
tween both fore and hind legs and held up by assistants, who sup-
port it perpendicularly to the axis of the body.

T@ remove the hobbles, the surgeon and one assistant, placed a
little beyond the reach of the extremities, unbuckle those of the
lower fore and hind legs and then those of the upper. This must be



SECURING OF SOLITEDS.



15



done simultaneously and without any abrupt motion, which might
cause the animal to struggle.

The modification found in the Chedhomme improved hobble facili-
tates this removal, but wants security. The majority of veterina-
rians prefer the English hobbles as being superior.

These admit of much easier removal than the French hobbles, which
require more unbuckling. The hobbles of Bracy Clark are like the
ordinary ones, but the chain of the main hobble is fixed to it by a
movable screw, which, once removed, leaves all the hobbles loose.

(Fig. 12.) When the ani-
mal gets up it has them
round each coronet, from
which they can be read-
ily taken off. With the
more recent English hob-
bles (fig. 13), the legs be-
come free at once because
of the manner in which the
hobble is made — viz. , of
two leather straps of un-
equal length united inta
one piece by a buckle at
one end, and each carry-
ing at the other end an
eye of different shape and
size. That of the longj-
strap is somewhat square
and made to allow the
introduction of the elong-
ated ring of the short strap
when the hobble is placed
round the leg. The animal is cast in the same way, the chain
secured as above described; and when he is to be made free the
screw of the main hobble is removed, the chain gets loose, the
hobbles drop off themselves or are kicked off by the animal
when he attempts to rise. Sometimes he throws them off from his
hind legs with much force and not without danger to the lookers on.
Bourquet's hobbles possess the same advantages.
Denenbourg has made hobbles "economical and easy to carry."
(Fig. 14.) Take four iron rings, four pieces of cord, and a chain.
The rings are fixed with the cords round the coronets of the four
legs, turning backwards for the front and forwards for the hind legs,
as in figure 14. The animal is thrown and secured as with the ordi-
nary hobbles.

Suykerbuyck has a very simple set of hobbles, which Degive




Fig. 14. — Denenbourg's improvised trammel (Peuch and

Toussaint.)



i6



VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS.



described as follows : Each hobble (fig. 15, A, B, C) is formed by-
several cords braided together, or by a single one, as large as a large
lead pencil, folded in two. These being twisted, are tied together in
a simple round knot. This double cord should measure about 75
centimeters in length. A ring is fastened to the loop formed by
the folding of the cords with several twists of a small, stout string.
Figs. BandC show how the hobble is to be placed on the leg of the





A B C

Fig. 15 — Suykerbuyck's hobbles. (Degive.)



animal. This can be done in two ways : ist, the hobble, made
as in B, is fixed on the leg by passing the ring through the double
loop b ; 2d, the open hobble, as in A, is put against the inner face
of the coronet, the ring turned backward (front leg) or forward (hind
leg) ; then, after passing the cord near the ring so as to form the
double loop b, the single cord a is brought back on the stopper knot
n. The set is easily removed, the legs being brought together to
relax the hobble. One hand is sufficient to make the loop a slip over
the knot 11, and thus free the leg which was fastened. The Suyker-
buyck hobble forms a kind of slip knot, which can be adapted to
all coronets, no matter of what dimensions. It is long enough for a
big horse, and can also be applied to a small one, a colt, or a pony.



SECURING OF SOLIPEDS. 1/

Improvised hobbles may also be used for small animals. Four
pieces of strong- cord are fixed on the coronets with a simple knot,
leaving sutiticient space between them and the skin to run a ropo
through, which takes the place of the chain.



CASTING WITHOUT HOBBLES.

By the Rohard process, a long cord or two side lines tied end to
end are necessary. At about two and a half meters from one of the
extremities a slip knot and a stopper knot are made so as to make
this part of the cord represent a kind of loop. If a horse is to be



Fig. i6. — Throwing by the Russian process.

thrown on the near side, this loop is passed round the neck at its
base, the knots resting on the external face of the forearm ; the free
part of the rope is twisted round the forearms to secure the fore legs ;
it is, afterward, passed from the outside to the inside in\yards round
the coronet of the left leg, then carried along the right side of the
ribs towards the posterior parts of the withers. The operator places
himself on the left side, a little back of the shoulder, holding the
loose end of the rope, slowly pulling on it, while he slightly strikes
on the lower part of the left hind leg ; this is soon raised from the
ground and then carried forward by the traction of the rope. As



1 8 VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS.

soon as the animal tries to defend itself, the assistant at the head and
the operator pull tog-ejher. "The animal slides, so to speak, on the
body of the operator," and falls without danger. The two hind legs
are secured with the rest of the rope.

The Russian method is analogous to that of Rohard. It con-
sists in raising a hind leg and pulling the head and trunk in the
direction in which the animal is to fall. If the horse is to be laid on the
right side, a stout rope is passed round its neck in a loop which has
a ring, where it rests on the left elbow. Another rope, or a long
leather strap, secured to the ring, is carried round the near hind leg
from within outwards, then back to the ring, and is pulled upon
backwards from the opposite side. (Fig- i6.) The operator, stand-
ing on the side where the animal is to fall, pulls on the halter or
bridle with one hand and on the rope with the other, and with mod-
erate force compels the horse to lie down.

For donkeys and very small horses the following method is very
convenient : Take a side line, fix it by one of its ends to a front
coronet, fasten it to that of the opposite fore leg. With a second side
line fix both hind legs in the same way. Pass the former side line
backward between the hind legs, and the other forward between the
fore legs. When the assistants at the head and at the tail pull on
them the animal falls. Twist the ropes tightly together, have them
held by assistants.

With the Daviau table, aseptic operations can be performed, and its
use is not accompanied with fractures and muscular lacerations so
frequent with the other means used for restraint in a recumbent
position. It consists of a solid wooden table, to which is fastened
as a covering a thick mattress, and which, by a special mechanism,
moves from a vertical to a horizontal position. While the table is
vertical, the animal, with his head covered with a hood, is brought
near it, and immobilized with straps and hobbled (fig. i8), all
the cords being secured to wooden pins on the under side of the
table. When the horse is secured, the crank of the mechanism is put
in motion and the table brought to the horizontal position and the
height required for the operation. Generally, with this apparatus,
animals react but little. When this apparatus was first made, it
was necessary, in turning the animal over, to relieve it from its first
position, and then to secure it in the same way on the other side.
With the improved table, which is mounted upon wheels and which
can be firmly fastened to the ground, the horse can be turned over
without changing the horizontal position of the table.

With the Vifisot apparatus {^g. 6), the horse can also be turned
over without difficulty. He is fixed as for standing operations, with
the head secured to one of the upright posts, the sling and the chains



SECURING OF SOLIPEDS.



19



made tight. To the horizontal bar upon which the horse will rest,
a double cushion is attached to form a table. By action of the great




Fig. 17.— Tlirowing with two leading-reins.

crank (d), this apparatus, turning on the axis (a a) as a pivot, situated
at some distance from the ground, is gradually brought down. It




Fig. 18. — Daviau's apparatus.

is easy then to unloose the legs and secure them to the bars orcross~
pieces. The operator can thus operate sitting down ; the leg of the
animal is firmly secured ; there is no dust as with the straw bed ; the



20



VETERINARY SURGICAL THERAPEUTICS.



asepsis is very easy. In raising the animal, the end of the great-
chain is passed througli the middle eye of the lever, the crank is put
in motion, and the apparatus, gradually raised, returns to its vertical
position. The manipulations necessary for changing the position of
the animal and turning it over require a long time.

We. have said that the means used for a forced recumbent position,