ANIMAL CASTRATION. 87 



reached, and if it is already adherent to the surround- 

 ing tissues, by granulations recently formed, the 

 checking of the flow may be very difficult. In many 

 cases the application of cold water, either in the 

 shape of the cold douche over the part, or iced 

 sponges, may prove sufficient. But in other cases 

 the cavity of the wound must be packed with balls 

 of oakum, wet either with water alone or any styptic 

 agent, such as a solution of perchloride of iron, the 

 whole being kept in place by a suspensory bandage, 

 or if necessary, a few points of suture. 



These measures may be put in practice while the 

 animal is on his feet ; but if they fail in their effect, 

 the surgeon must at once proceed to cast his patient 

 and ligate the artery an operation of delicate exe- 

 cution, and not always easy to perform, by reason of 

 the deep seated position of the vessel. The use of 

 the actual cautery has also been recommended, but 

 even when successful there are many objections to 

 this, one of which is the complication such an opera- 

 tion may bring on by the introduction into the wound 

 of a scab which must necessitate for its expulsion a 

 serious amount of inflammatory action. As a rule, 

 however, the operation of packing is all that is re- 

 quired, the oakum being left undisturbed for twenty- 

 four or even thirty-six hours. Its removal must be 

 undertaken with great caution. 



SWELLING OF THE SCROTAL REGION. 



This, as we have seen, is an almost necessary 

 consequence of the operation, the swelling making 



