SWINE DISEASES AND THEIR CONTROL 201 



done abscesses, tumors, hernia, peritonitis and the like 

 frequently result. The most favorable age for the opera- 

 tion is just before weaning time, when the setback caused 

 by the operation will be reduced to a minimum. Castra- 

 tion can, however, be done successfully at any age. In 

 the operation sanitary precautions are important. Hot 

 and wet weather should be avoided. Filthy pens, wal- 

 lows and other sources of infection should be eliminated. 

 A good plan is to cut out feed for 12 hours before the 

 operation. Confine the pigs to a small pen and catch one 

 at a time without excitement or heating them up. The 

 one that is to perform the operation should see to it that 

 he is provided with a sharp knife or sharp knives. In ad- 

 dition he should have a 5% solution of a coal tar dis- 

 infectant, some cotton pledgets, some suturing thread 

 and a needle or two if there be many to castrate. The 

 scrotum should be thoroughly washed two or three times 

 with the disinfectant, the knife should be disinfected, 

 and with one stroke an incision should be made on either 

 side of the median line parallel to it sufficiently large to 

 permit the squeezing out of the testicle. In pigs the cord 

 is generally severed by a jerk, in shotes by scraping 

 into, and in boars by the use of the emasculator. When 

 the pigs are of any size it may be well to ligature the 

 cord before severing. 



After the operation is performed care should be taken 

 to see that the incision comes to the lowest part of the 

 scrotal sac to prevent an accumulation of pus. In cool 

 weather it will probably need no further treatment aside 

 from washing with the disinfecting solution. In warm 

 weather when the flies are bad some make a practice of 

 applying pine tar to the wound. If a hemorrhage per- 



