234 ON GELDING. 



towards his neck, by which means the practitioner 

 will have more room to perform the operation. 

 Then with a pair of flat barnacles, or pincers, take 

 hold of the scrotum^ make a section through it, 

 sufficient to admit the testicle being pressed out : 

 (this may be done either with a knife, or burnt 

 through with a hot firing-iron ;) then apply the 

 flap nippers a little below the testicle, and hold it 

 sufficiently tight to prevent an overflow of blood ; 

 the stone may then be seared off with a hot iron, 

 or if cut off seared afterwards. 



While the iron is hot, dissolve a sufficient quan- 

 tity of resin over the seared part; and, lastly, 

 apply a pledget of lint, spread with digestive oint- 

 ment, just within the wound. When this is done, 

 proceed in the same manner with the other stone. 



I believe this to be the best and safest way to 

 perform this operation, whatever the age of the 

 animal may be. A gentleman in the neighbour- 

 hood of Retford, had two horses (three or four 

 years old) castrated by tying up the spermatic 

 vessels with a ligature ; both of which died. A 

 full-grown horse, if in good condition, ought to 

 undergo some preparation before the operation. 

 Purging, if thought proper, or otherwise bleed- 

 ing, and a few of the alterative balls (No. 87j 



