ANIMAL CASTRATION. 55 



fasciculus, and the entire vascular cord is surrounded 

 by the ligature and firmly tightened. The fact of 

 the various and irregular flexuosities peculiar to the 

 spermatic artery, with both ascending and descend- 

 ing portions, explains the necessity of including the 

 entire arterial mass under the ligature, since, if only 

 the simple cord of the artery were ligated, it might 

 be an ascending portion only, and the amputation of 

 the testicle might be followed by a troublesome 

 hemorrhage from one of the descending loops. 



Ligation of the efferent canal and the subcutaneous li- 

 gation of the cord. These two modes of operating 

 have not yet yielded sufficient evidence in the form 

 of satisfactory results to be entitled to more than 

 passing mention at the -present time. We may say 

 further, moreover, that among all the methods of 

 castration by ligation, none of them have been sub- 

 jected to a sufficient amount of practical test to be 

 accepted as a process which will justify a strong rec- 

 ommendation or unqualified approval. 



