41 6 CLINICAL VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



tained in position by two strips of plaster bandage, and the whole 

 covered with a piece of silk, also fixed by strips of plaster. The tail 

 was secured to the collar and the animal tied up short. Slop food 

 and small doses of potassium nitrate were given. The anus, etc., was 

 cleaned three or four times daily. 



Next day urine was observed to be dribbling from the sheath — a fact 

 attributed to temporary paralysis of the sphincter vesicae, due to the 

 previous great pressure and distension. This dribbling ceased about 

 four days after operation. On removing the dressing on the third day 

 the wound appeared perfectly healthy, with little swelling ; the lips 

 seemed to be adherent. The pins were removed, the parts dusted 

 with iodoform and, quickly covered with a medicated pad, secured as 

 before. 



Progress was excellent and appetite good. On the sixth day the 

 horse urinated with apparent ease. The pad was removed from the 

 wound, which was almost healed, and the horse was allowed to lie 

 down, precautions being taken against its rubbing the parts. 



On December 23rd the horse was sent home. The catheter could 

 be readily passed, and there was no evidence of stricture. In six weeks 

 hardly any scar could be seen. There was afterwards no sign of 

 difficulty in urination. 



The calculus was very rough on the surface, measured seven eighths 

 of an inch in length, three quarters of an inch in breadth, and five 

 eighths of an inch in thickness. 



Mr. E. C. Russell's case, Veterinarian, 1895, p. 458. 



NYMPHOMANIA— OVARIOTOMY. 



In the mare the mortality from ovariotomy has been considerably 

 reduced by asepsis, and by such simplification of the operative tech- 

 nique as I described in 1888. Of fifty-six mares which I castrated 

 between 1888 and i88g only one died. This animal struggled very 

 violently when the vagina was punctured, and the external iliac artery 

 was opened near its origin by the blade of the knife. Of the others, 

 some showed signs of abdominal pain for a few days, but the majority 

 exhibited very trifling post-operative symptoms. These results confirm 

 what I stated as to the tolerance of the peritoneum when speaking of 

 castration of cryptorchid horses. Under the ordinary conditions of 

 veterinary practice absolute asepsis is a myth. Whatever the precau- 

 tions observed in performing ovariotomy the peritoneum is always 

 infected ; but, like all other tissues, it is able to destroy the germs, 

 provided they be not too numerous or too virulent. 



Of the seven mares which I castrated during the years 1897 and 1898 

 one showed signs of colic, lasting for forty-eight hours. Three of these 

 mares, which belonged to the General Omnibus Company of Paris, 

 were sent to the Alfort depot and operated on in the School. M. 

 Mouilleron gave me their after-history. One still remained excitable, 

 came on frequently in season, and had to be drafted. The others were 

 returned to work at the end of a fortnight, and have not since shown 

 any sign of nymphomania. 



