ANIMAL CASTRATION. 57 



castration of ruminants, though efforts have been 

 made to apply the latter in the case of solipeds. 

 The modes of operating which we have already de- 

 scribed are, however, also applicable to the rumi- 

 nants. 



CRUSHING OF THE TESTICULAR CORD. 



This consists in crushing the spermatic cord with 

 a hammer, the vessel continuing, meanwhile, to be 

 covered with its envelopes. It was first described 

 in the year 1826, and is most commonly practised in 

 some French districts. The instruments used are 

 two cylindrical pieces of wood, each about one yard 

 in length and two inches in diameter ; and a hammer 

 or mallet formed of hard and heavy wood. The ani- 

 mal being properly secured in the standing position,, 

 the testicles being drawn well down into the bottom 

 of the envelopes, the sticks are placed, one behind 

 and one in front of the cord, close to the upper ex- 

 tremity of the gland. When in that position they 

 are moved in such a manner that instead of remain- 

 ing, one in front of the other, one becomes so super- 

 imposed upon the other that the spermatic cord be- 

 comes twisted in the form of the letter S (Fig. 15). 

 While held together in this position by an assistant,, 

 the operator, placing himself in front of one side of 

 the hind quarter, with repeated blows of the hammer 

 or mallet, crushes the cord at the point where it 

 rests upon the wood which occupies the inferior 

 position, of course guaging the force and frequency 

 of the blows by the effect observed, until the crush- 



