ANIMAL CASTRATION. 5 



mitis, sarcoceie, hydrocele, cyst, etc. In the other 

 case it is resorted to for reasons of mere fashion and 

 convenience, and has for its object the production of 

 such a modification of the general organism as shall 

 increase the adaptedness of the animals subjected to 

 it to the uses to which they are applied ; when, of 

 course, the economic becomes the paramount and ex- 

 clusive reason for thus interfering with the obvious 

 creative purpose. It is the operation as performed 

 under this general heading that we shall now prin- 

 cipally consider. 



In relation to this latter object it must be borne in 

 mind that the operation is followed by certain pecu- 

 liar effects, which may either manifest themselves 

 upon the entire organism, or upon some special func- 

 tions only. In the first instance it is quite evident 

 that the primary and most obvious effect of the mu- 

 tilation is to be discovered in the character and dis- 

 position of the animal, which at once becomes in a 

 double sense an " altered " creature, docile and sub- 

 missive, and entirely willing to become the obedient 

 and useful servant of his human master. But it is 

 not alone that we find the vicious stallion, the un- 

 controllable bull, the kicking jackass, the dangerous 

 boar, and even the hysteric mare and cow transformed 

 into the useful gelding, the quiet ox, the patient don- 

 key, and the " fatherly " barrow, the quiet working 

 mare and the productive cow, as the result of the 

 change which the character the nervous system, in 

 fact has undergone. Besides this, other marked 

 changes are to be observed of a more distinctly 



