The first and most important object in the successful performance of
this operation is to secure the cow, so that she shall not injure
herself, nor lie down, nor be able to kick or injure the operator. The
most convenient method of securing the cow is, to place her in the
trevis;[15] the hind legs should then be securely tied in the usual
manner: the band used for the purpose of raising the hind quarters when
being shod must be passed under the belly, and tightened just sufficient
to prevent the animal lying down. Having secured the band in this
position, we proceed, with the aid of two or more assistants, in case
the animal should be irritable, to perform the operation. And here, for
the benefit of that portion of our readers who desire to perform the
operation _secundum artem_, we detail the method recommended by Morin, a
French veterinary surgeon; although it has been, and can again be,
performed with a common knife, a curved needle, and a few silken threads
to close the external wound. The author is acquainted with a farmer, now
a resident of East Boston, who has performed this operation with
remarkable success, both in this country and Scotland, with no other
instruments than a common shoemaker's knife and a curved needle. The
fact is, the ultimate success of the operation does not depend so much
on the instruments as on the skill of the operator. If he is an
experienced man, understands the anatomy of the parts, and is well
acquainted, by actual experience, with the nature of the operation, then
the instruments become a matter of taste. The best operators are those
who devote themselves entirely to the occupation. (See Mr. Blane's
account of his "first essay in firing," p. 85, note.) Morin advises us
to secure the cow, by means of five rings, to the wall. (See Albany
Cultivator, vol. vi. p. 244, 1850.) "The cow being conveniently disposed
of, and the instruments and appliances,--such as curved scissors, upon a
table, a convex-edged bistoury, a straight one, and one buttoned at the
point, suture needle filled with double thread of desired length,
pledgets of lint of appropriate size and length, a mass of tow (in
pledgets) being collected in a shallow basket, held by an assistant,--we
place ourselves opposite to the left flank, our back turned a little
towards the head of the animal; we cut off the hair which covers the
hide in the middle of the flanks, at an equal distance between the back
and hip, for the space of thirteen or fourteen centimetres in
circumference; this done, we take the convex bistoury, and place it open
between our teeth, the edge out, the point to the left; then, with both
hands, we seize the hide in the middle of the flank, and form of it a
wrinkle of the requisite elevation, and running lengthwise of the body.
"We then direct an assistant to seize, with his right hand, the right
side of this wrinkle. We then take the bistoury, and cut the wrinkle at
one stroke through the middle, the wrinkle having been suffered to go
down, a separation of the hide is presented of sufficient length to
enable us to introduce the hand; thereupon we separate the edges of the
hide with the thumb and fore finger of the left hand, and, in like
manner, we cut through the abdominal muscles, the iliac, (rather
obliquely,) and the lumbar, (cross,) for a distance of a centimetre
from the lower extremity of the incision made in the hide: this done,
armed with the straight bistoury, we make a puncture of the peritoneum,
at the upper extremity of the wound; we then introduce the buttoned
bistoury, and we move it obliquely from above to the lower part up to
the termination of the incision made in the abdominal muscles. The flank
being opened, we introduce the right hand into the abdomen, and direct
it along the right side of the cavity of the pelvis, behind the paunch
and underneath the rectum, where we find the horns of the uterus; after
we have ascertained the position of these viscera, we search for the
ovaries, which are at the extremity of the _cornua_, or horns,
(fallopian tubes,) and when we have found them, we seize them between
the thumb and fore finger, detach them completely from the ligaments
that keep them in their place, pull lightly, separating the cord, and
the vessels (uterine or fallopian tubes) at their place of union with
the ovarium, by means of the nails of the thumb and fore finger, which
presents itself at the point of touch; in fact, we break the cord, and
bring away the ovarium.
"We then introduce again the hand in the abdominal cavity, and we
proceed in the same manner to extract the other ovarium.
"This operation terminated, we, by the assistance of a needle, place a
suture of three or four double threads, waxed, at an equal distance, and
at two centimetres, or a little less, from the lips of the wound;
passing it through the divided tissues, we move from the left hand with
the piece of thread; having reached that point, we fasten with a double
knot; we place the seam in the intervals of the thread from the right,
and as we approach the lips of the wound, we fasten by a simple knot,
being careful not to close too tightly the lower part of the seam, so
that the suppuration, which may be established in the wound, may be able
to escape.
"The operation effected, we cover up the wound with a pledget of lint,
kept in its place by three or four threads passed through the stitches,
and all is completed.
"It happens, sometimes, that in cutting the muscles of which we have
before spoken, we cut one or two of the arteries, which bleed so much
that there is necessity for a ligature before opening the peritoneal
sac, because, if this precaution be omitted, blood will escape into the
abdomen, and may occasion the most serious consequences."
The best time for spaying cows, with a view of making them permanent
milkers, is between the ages of five and seven, especially if they have
had two or three calves. If intended to be fattened for beef, the
operation should not be performed until the animal has passed its second
year, nor after the twelfth.
We usually prepare the animal by allowing a scalded mash every night,
within a few days of the operation. The same precaution is observed
after the operation.
If, after the operation, the animal appears dull and irritable, and
refuses her food, the following drink must be given:--
Valerian, 2 ounces.
Boiling water, 2 quarts.
Set the mixture aside to cool. Then strain, and add infusion of
marshmallows (see APPENDIX) one quart; which may be given in
pint doses every two hours.
If a bad discharge sets up from the wound,--but this will seldom happen,
unless the system abounds in morbific materials,--then, in addition to
the drink, wash the wound with
Pyroligneous acid, 2 ounces.
Water, 2 quarts.
Mix.