CASTRATION OF CRYPTORCHIDS. 



241 



communis is absent. To find the testicle under these circumstances 

 Moller recommends passin.q the hand into the rectum, and after first 

 discovering the anterior edge of the os pubis examining the floor of the 

 abdomen with the outstretched fingers in front of, and for four to six 

 inches on either side of, the Hnea alba. As a rule, the testicles are 

 soon found ; in other cases the rectum requires to be thoroughly 

 emptied and the search renewed. Should' the operator be in doubt as 

 to the nature of the body found he ma\' compress it, when, in the event 

 of its being the testicle, the horse usually struggles. Degive passes the 

 hand downwards alont! the sides of the abdomen to the middle line. 



Fig. 252. — A case of abdoinin il crxptorchidism, 



T. Ttsticle. p. P'old of peritoneum surrounding the spermatic rord. 



V. Vas deferens. R. Rectum. 



Frohner endeavours to draw the testicle backwards towards the pelvic 

 cavitv, in order to bring it into a better position for examination. 

 Masses of faices sometimes mislead the operator, but may be dis- 

 tinguished from the testicle by the fact that they are usually firm and 

 rounded, and may be broken down without causing pain, whilst the 

 testicle is flat, flabby, sharply marginated. ver_\- easily displaced, always 

 retains its shape, and is sensitive to pressure. Sand compares the feel 

 of the testicle to that of a small bag filled with mercury. The above 

 examination is onlv for the purpose of determining whether the testicle 



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