52 ANIMAL CASTRATION. 



tion is formed of waxed silk ; sometimes of strong 

 twine, as fishing line, for example ; or, as more 

 recently introduced in surgery in the removal of liv- 

 ing growths and tumors, an elastic cord. 



Ligation of the cord and its envelopes. This process 

 is principally used upon small animals, although, 

 since the elastic cord has been brought into use, a 

 few attempts have been made to make it applicable 

 to the larger kinds. The experiments, however, 

 have been as yet so few, and the results so unsatis- 

 factory, and in so many cases fatal, that it can scarcely 

 be recommended, except for small subjects. The ap- 

 plication of this is very simple. It consists, after 

 securing the patient, in bringing the testicles as far 

 down into the scrotum as may be thought needful, 

 and after applying the ligature two or three times 

 around the cord, a short distance above them (Fig. 

 14), slowly and steadily tightening it until a suf- 

 ficient amount of force has been employed to close 

 the calibre of the blood vessel and cut off the circu- 

 lation from the parts situated below the point of li- 

 gation. This mode of operating has, in our hands, 

 proved very successful in small animals, and when 

 the elastic ligature has been used. Mortification has 

 taken place in a few days, the testicles slowly detach- 

 ing themselves at the point of ligature, and when 

 falling off leaving but a very small superficial, cuta- 

 neous scab, and healing in a short time. 



Ligature of the cord only ; covered operation. The 

 first three steps of the operation having been accom- 

 plished, and the testicle enucleated, the ligature is 



