CRYPTORCHIDISM. 217 



To distinguish between inguinal and abdominal cryptorchidism 

 Cadiot proposes the following method of examination :— The points 

 of the fingers are brought together, forming a cone, and are pushed 

 towards the inguinal ring : the testicle when in the canal is recog- 

 nised as a rounded, thick, movable object. By examining the inner 

 abdominal ring of either side per rectum there will be found on the 

 side of the retained testicle a thin cord passing into the ring, which 

 cord cannot be caused to move by drawing the sheath downwards. 



Fig. 246.— A case of abdominal cryptorchidism. 

 T. Testicle, p. Fold of peritoneum surrounding the spermatic cord. 

 v. Vas deferens. R. Rectum. 



Should the animal have been castrated, however, the cord will 

 descend as soon as the assistant moves the sheath. 



When the testicle lies in the abdomen the inguinal canal is 

 necessarily empty (unless it contain a loop of the spermatic cord 

 or a portion of the epididymis), and the space usually lined by the 

 tunica vaginalis reflexa is absent. To find the testicle under 

 these circumstances Moller recommends passing 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 linea alba. 

 As a rule, the testicle is soon found ; in other cases the rectum 



