8 Jan., 1907.] 



Diseases of Farvi Aminals. 



65 



Castration. 



An article bv the present writer on " Castration of farm animals " 

 appeared in the Journal of October, 1906, q.v. There will be found a 

 description of the use of the instrument shown in F]g. 4. 



Fig. 4. — Castrator. 



Speying or Castration of the Mare. 



On accO'Unt of the great liability to fatal peritonitis following upon 

 wounds in the abdomen of horses, the operation of speying mares is only 

 safe when performed per vaginum. The mare may be chloroformed, or 

 local anaesthesia may be produced by inserting a cocaine-soaked pledget 

 of cotton-wool into the vagina, as far as the neck of the womb, a little 

 time before commencing. The strictest antiseptic precautions are neces- 

 sary ; the operator's hands and arms, the instruments to be used, and the 

 external parts being disinfected with a lysol solution (i in 100) or cor- 

 rosive sublimate solution (i in 1,000). Before proceeding, the rectum 

 should be emptied. 



Fig. 1^. — Chain Ecraseur. 



Two instruments are necessary — a roncealed bistoury and an ecraseur. 

 With the bistoury a puncture is made in the upper part of the vagina 

 Lhrough the vaginal wall, in the middle line, immediately above the neck 

 of the womb {os uteri). The finger is inserted into this wound, and" it is 

 enlarged by tearing until the hand can be introduced. The ovaries are 

 then searched for. grasped, and pulled through the opening, when they 

 can be removed with the ecraseur, for operating which see article on 

 " Castration "" in October, 1906. issue of the Journal. 



