CASTRATION OF MALE RUMINANTS. 225 



comparison with those afforded by aseptic castration, and is worthy of 

 serious consideration in choosing a method. The troublesome and 

 tedious preparation required by the aseptic method is in no way 

 commensurate with the advantage to be gained. This, however, 

 seems less serious than the fact that one can never depend on 

 attaining absolute asepsis, the operation wounds being necessarily 

 of such a character as to heal with considerable difficult)', the incisions 

 being too small to permit of free drainage, and fluids, etc., being apt to 

 be retained ; severe local inflammation and serious feverish symptoms 

 are then very liable to occur. The difficulties inherent to asepsis 

 result partly from external circumstances, such as the difficulty of 

 applying a dressing, which many animals will absolutely not endure, 

 and partly to the fact that even with the greatest care bleeding cannot 

 alwaN's be prevented. This usually sets in after the animal has risen, 

 and originates in the veins of the common vaginal sheath. Blood 

 is poured into the scrotum, and endangers aseptic healing. In 

 cryptorchids, in which this sheath is absent, antisepsis is there- 

 fore more easily attained than in ordinar}' stallions, as is shown by the 

 experience of Bayer, Guttmann, Plosz, and others. Until these 

 difficulties can be overcome aseptic castration will remain a strictly 

 academic operation. 



Castration of the ass calls for no particular modifications. 

 Weber states having had fatal bleeding after torsion of the spermatic 

 cord, a result, he believes, due to the fact that in these animals 

 the cord is unusually fragile, and is apt to tear. 



2. Castration of Male Ruminants. 



Although the same principles apply to the castration of ruminants 

 as to that of horses, yet variations in anatomical arrangement of the 

 organs of generation and in external circumstances necessitate 

 numerous modifications. Apart from goats, which appear particularly 

 sensitive to ordinary methods of castration, ruminants seem to bear 

 operation better than horses. Bull calves may be castrated b}- torsion 

 or ligation, the elastic ligature being used if desired. Older animals 

 are usually castrated with clams by the covered method. The applica- 

 tion of clams or of a ligature to the entire; scrotum is seldom practised, 

 except by laymen. 



Bulls bear castration best during the first few months of life, an 

 age at which the operation is also most easily performed. Should the 

 animals be intended for draught purposes, however, castration is 

 commonly postponed until the second year, as the neck and shoulders 

 are then better developed. • 



15 



