羊腸線

羊腸線（英語：catgut，gut）是一種由動物腸壁中天然纖維製成的線^[1]^[2]；一般以綿羊腸或山羊腸製作，但偶爾也使用牛、豬、馬、騾或驢的腸子^[3]。儘管英語稱 catgut，但它並不是由貓腸製成的。

英語 catgut 可能是「cattlegut」的縮寫；另一種可能是其民間詞源（英語：Folk etymology）為 kitgut 或 kitstring，而其中方言詞 kit 源自威爾斯語，義為「小提琴」^[4]。其後，kit 又與作「小貓」^[5]的意思混淆了。

製作

原材料是肉製品產業的副產品，來源包括好幾種不同的動物，例如綿羊、肉牛、袋鼠、水牛、馬、騾或驢。絕大部分的羊腸線是用最外層的漿膜做成，而最早期的羊腸線，是採用出生7至8個月的綿羊和羊羔腸子，刮去脂肪及其他組織，取最裏層的黏膜，以鹼性溶液浸泡清洗，平整後以硫磺煙燻防蟲、防腐，有需要時染色；分開大小，根據用途扭成不同數量的股線。

用途

羊腸弦

羊腸弦（gut strings）是早期竪琴、小提琴、二胡等弦樂器或弓弦樂器的發聲體。現在大都使用鋼弦，但仍然有講究音色的演奏家採用羊腸弦。

縫合線

醫用羊腸線（英語：Catgut suture）作為手術縫合線已經有一千年以上。它可被人體吸收，缺點是受細菌感染的機會較高。

其他用途

直到現在，羊腸線也被製作成高性能網球拍的弦，但已經逐漸被複合材料取代。羊腸線也被使用在擺鐘裏懸掛砝碼以及弓弦。

外部連結

how to make gut strings （頁面存檔備份，存於互聯網檔案館）

^ Roenigk, Randall K.; Henry H. Roenigk. Roenigk & Roenigk's dermatologic surgery: principles and practice. CRC Press. 23 January 1996: 93. ISBN 9780824795030. Catgut sutures are made from the submucosal layer of the small intestine of sheep and the serosal layer of the small intestine of cattle.
^ Underwood, Oscar Wilder. Tariff schedules: Hearings before the Committee on ways and means. Strings for Musical Instruments (U.S. Government Printing Office). 1913: 5691 [February 27, 2010]. [T]here is no such thing as crude catgut or catgut unmanufactured. Catgut is a manufactured article and a finished product; the crude form are the intestines or guts of sheep or other animals.
^ Hiskey, Daven. Violin strings were never made out of actual cat guts. TodayIFoundOut.com. 12 November 2010 [15 December 2015]. （原始內容存檔於2018-10-15）.
^ Booth, Arthur Woodward. The Preparation of Surgical Catgut. Therapeutic Gazette. 1894 [2013-10-11] –透過Books.google.com.
^ 存档副本. [2024-04-22]. （原始內容存檔於2024-07-23）.

[1] Roenigk, Randall K.; Henry H. Roenigk. Roenigk & Roenigk's dermatologic surgery: principles and practice. CRC Press. 23 January 1996: 93. ISBN 9780824795030. Catgut sutures are made from the submucosal layer of the small intestine of sheep and the serosal layer of the small intestine of cattle.

[2] Underwood, Oscar Wilder. Tariff schedules: Hearings before the Committee on ways and means. Strings for Musical Instruments (U.S. Government Printing Office). 1913: 5691 [February 27, 2010]. [T]here is no such thing as crude catgut or catgut unmanufactured. Catgut is a manufactured article and a finished product; the crude form are the intestines or guts of sheep or other animals.

[3] Hiskey, Daven. Violin strings were never made out of actual cat guts. TodayIFoundOut.com. 12 November 2010 [15 December 2015]. （原始內容存檔於2018-10-15）.

[4] Booth, Arthur Woodward. The Preparation of Surgical Catgut. Therapeutic Gazette. 1894 [2013-10-11] –透過Books.google.com.

[5] 存档副本. [2024-04-22]. （原始內容存檔於2024-07-23）.

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