420 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. — Nov., 1922. 



Deg-eneration of the testicles then commences, md the most vital 

 parts (convoluted seminiferous tubules) are converted into fatty masses 

 (fatty degeneration). As time goes on, the whole glandular substance 

 is reduced to an opaque greyish or yellowish tuft. This " necrosis of 

 the testicle " takes some time, but the dead tissues are finally absorbed, 

 leaving only a small hard irregular " nut " of fibrous tissue (fibrous 

 atrophia, Fig. 5 h, c). This explanation makes it easy to understand 

 why the " dying out " of the testicles is slower in old animals than 

 in young ones. In the older animals there is of course mni-e glandu- 

 lar substance to be absorbed, and Ibe proportion of fibrous tissue is 



Fig. 6 (f natural size). — « and b Testicles of two calves 1 month old, which were 

 operated on with the pincers. The pincers were closed on the scrotum, and no 

 attempt was made to push up the cords, wliich on dissection showed to be 

 completely severed, c Testicle of a calf 10^ months old, castrated three months 

 before death. The cord was found to be cut right through, leaving a gap half 

 an inch wide. 



greater. But long before atrophy is complete, retraction of the iesti- 

 cular cords occurs. The testicles are pulled up to the margin of the 

 "inguinal canal," and the scrotum is reduced to a small shrunken 

 fold containing a handful of fat. 



In the instructions for castration by the Burdizzo pincers, given 

 last August, the recommendation was made to push up the cord of 

 the testicle as soon as this was seen to be severed by the closing of 

 the pincers. This procedure is still advised, and becomes quite easy 

 after a little practice. When the pincers are closed on the scrotum 



