cheeks and side of the jaw (masseters)
are cut through and those connecting the jaw with the neck. When traction
is made on the rope around the lower jaw it will usually come away with
little trouble. Should it resist, its posterior extremity on each side
(behind the grinding teeth) may be cut through with bone forceps or with a
guarded bone chisel. (Pl. XX, fig. 8.) After the removal of the lower jaw
the way will be open to separate the head from the neck, the knife being
used to cut into the first or second joint from below, or the bone forceps
or chisel being employed to cut through the bones of the neck. Then
traction is made on the head by means of hooks in the orbits, and the hand,
armed with an embryotomy knife, is introduced to cut through the tense
resisting ligament, and muscles above the bones. The skin and the strong
ligamentous cord attached to the poll are the essential things to cut, as
the muscles can easily be torn across. Unless there are great difficulties
in the way it is well to skin the head from the eyes back, and on reaching
the poll to cut through the ligament and then bring the head away by
pulling.

If it is decided to remove the entire head at once, it may be skinned from
the front of the eyes back to behind the lower jaw below and the poll
above, then cut through the muscles and ligaments around the first joint
and pull the head away, assisting, if need be, in the separation of the
head by using the knife on the ligament of the joint.

If the calf is a double-headed monster, the skinning of the head must be
carried backward until the point has been reached where both heads branch
from the single neck, and the separation must be made at that point. The
muscles and ligaments are first to be cut through; and if the part can not
then be detached by pulling, the bodies of the vertebrae may be separated by
passing the knife through the joint. The second head may now be secured by
a noose around the lower jaw or hooks in the orbits and brought up into
place, the body being pushed back toward the other side by a repeller, so
as to make room.

It should be added that, except in the case of a double-headed monster, or
in case of the head protruding or nearly so, and one or both fore limbs
presenting, it is rarely desirable to undertake amputation of the head. The
space desirable in the passages can usually be obtained by the much simpler
and easier procedure of removing one or both fore limbs.

_Am