238

SURGICAL SKILL

of a finger and thumb to lay hold of the arrow:during this part of the operation, however, theend of the arrow became perceptible, protrud-ing between the costae at every expiration:the operator, as soon as possible, secured itwith the finger and thumb of his left hand;whilst with his right he proceeded to widenthe incision on either side, that he might takea deeper and firmer hold, and secure, if possi-ble, the second row of barbs : to facilitate theoperation, he now slipt the noose of a stringover the barbs he held between his finger andthumb, and having secured which, his lefthand was no longer in the way of his right;for by drawing the string as far as prudencewould allow, he kept it prest upon the supe-rior rib, and thereby preserved the arrow fromreceding at every inspiration. The incisionwas now carried through the intercostal musclesand the pleura, sufficiently to allow of the intro-duction of the finger and thumb of the righthand, with which he endeavoured to disengageas much as possible what might obstruct thebarbs ; whilst with his left finger and thumb helaid hold of the end of the arrow, and keptgently twisting it, always one way, so as tobreak down those obstructions which could notbe removed with the other hand, taking care,however, not to use so much force as might be