ANIMAL CASTRATION. 51 



posterior ends of the clamp. If it retains tlie springi- 

 ness it ought to have possessed at the time of its 

 original application, the branches readily spring 

 open, and it falls to the ground. If this does not 

 occur, or if they should be held by adhesions with 

 some dried parts of the cords which have been press- 

 ed between the branches of the clamps, they must 

 be carefully separated by moving from below up- 

 wards, when they will easily become detached. But 

 this last manipulation must be very carefully per- 

 formed, if w r e would escape a hemorrhage which 

 might require serious measures to control. When 

 clamps of another make are used, the process of re- 

 moval will vary according to existing peculiarities in 

 the construction of the instrument. The clamp hav- 

 ing been removed from one side, the separation from 

 the other will, of course, be managed in a similar 

 manner. 



THE LIGATURE. 



This method of castration consists in the applica- 

 tion of a circular ligature upon the entire cord, or 

 a portion of it. for the purpose of completely clos- 

 ing it, with the various parts entering into its forma- 

 tion. It was in practice so long ago as 1734. The 

 operation is divided into several varieties, viz., that of 

 the cord with its envelopes ; that of the cord only, 

 either by the covered or uncovered method ; that of 

 the spermatic artery alone ; that of the efferent 

 canal ; and that by the subcutaneous process. 



The ligature used in these various modes of opera- 



