The hypodermic needle for injection.
A hypodermic needle may be used for an internal ring injection or an injection through the anterior wall of the canal, but in moving it about the operator should watch carefully and not break such needle. If a needle breaks it will be at the shoulder formed by the point of attachment of the shaft of the needle with the butt.
The advantage of the small hypodermic needle is that it may be passed with very little discomfort to the patient and it throws a finer string of paraffin and favors diffusion of the agent.
A hypodermic needle is lacking in length to inject the canal when passed through the external ring along the canal.
Should the surgeon attempt injection along the canal and find the patient too nervous or the technic too difficult the hypodermic may be used and an injection made through the anterior wall of the canal at the internal ring, at about the center of the canal and about one-half an inch from the external ring.
The hypodermic needle injections are simple and should be accomplished even on a very nervous patient without troubling to infiltrate with cocain or alypin.
BE DISCREET IF INJECTION IS PAINFUL.
Should a patient complain that the injection is painful inject very discreetly or better check the injection there, move the point of the needle and again try slowly. If the cold injection causes pain try at another point. Put in a drop or two and should the patient still complain discontinue and put on a spica or truss for a few days. Observe the reaction and then if it is not severe inject again.
Remember that several injections may be made upon a patient but hyperinjection, that is the injection of too much, will cause no little distress and that it is impossible to remove all the paraffin mixture or the vaseline without an open operation, if they are not absorbed.