The legs should be strapped to the table. The hands should be held out of the way by the anesthetizer. They may be retained very well by a safety-pin passed through the lower sleeve and the shoulder of the night-gown or the pillow-case. The undershirt and night-gown should be drawn well up behind, to prevent wetting. If the clothes become wet, they should be changed immediately after operation. The legs and the chest should be covered with clean blankets. The field of operation should be surrounded by sterilized towels. One large towel with a hole of suitable size in the center is convenient. A pocket may be made immediately below the hole, to retain the instruments when the Trendelenburg position is employed. [Illustration: FIG. 197.--Knife.] =Instruments.=--The number and the variety of instruments used by the gynecologist in abdominal operations depend a good deal upon the taste of the individual operator. The list given here comprises all the instruments that are found useful by the writer in abdominal work: Small hemostatic forceps (Fig. 195) 12 Medium-sized forceps 2 Large forceps (Fig. 196) 4 Knife (Fig. 197) 1 Scissors--two pairs of long scissors, one straight and one curved on the flat. Pedicle-needles (Fig. 198) 2 Cyst-trocars (Figs. 199 and 200) 2 Straight, spear-pointed needles, 2½ inches in length, for closing the abdominal incision by the mass-suture. Curved needles for suturing within the abdomen. Fine straight and curved needles for the repair of intestinal injuries. Large curved needles for catgut, etc. Abdominal retractors (blunt) 2 Needle-holder (Fig. 201) 1 Long dressing-forceps 2 Three sizes of twisted silk are used for suture and ligature: heavy silk for ligature of the large arteries; medium silk for ligature of smaller vessels and for various suturing in the abdomen; fine silk for peritoneal and intestinal suture. [Illustration: FIG. 198.--Pedicle-needle.] The silk should be as small as is consistent with secure ligature. The heavy silk is necessary for the ligature of pedicles in which a large amount of surrounding tissue is included with the artery. [Illustration: FIG. 199.--Small curved trocar.]