652 CASTRATION. 



"be induced by very trivial exciting causes, such as a common 

 cold, or a hard day's work. The cord then inflames, the animal 

 becomes lame, stiff, feverish, and unfit for work, and will 

 occasionally remain in this condition for several weeks after the 

 abscesses have discharged their contents. Geldings subject to 

 this affection are generally unthrifty, go wide behind, and with 

 a degree of stiffness in their gait. They are unsound, and 

 should the veterinarian be called upon to examine a case of this 

 kind, even months after the animal has been purchased, he 

 need not hesitate to certify as to the unsoundness, provided 

 he can discover that the animal has had abscesses upon a 

 previous occasion ; and tliis can always be done by examination 

 of the scrotum, upon the surface of which depressed cicatrices, 

 indicating the seat of former abscesses, will be found. 



The treatment is removal of the diseased cord by torsion. 



A case is reported by Mr. Percivall of a tumour of the cord, 

 from this cause, weighing twenty-nine pounds. 



PERITONITIS. 



Inflammation of the peritoneum may manifest itself as early 

 as the second day after castration has been performed. It is 

 generally due to one of the following causes : — The prevalence 

 of easterly winds ; exposure to cold ; the animal being unfit for 

 operation, by either being too fat or too lean; dividing the 

 cord too high up ; or it may originate from some constitutional 

 tendency to inflammatory disease when all external circum- 

 stances are good. 



The symiotoms are those of dejection and dulness rather than 

 of acute pain; the animal seems to suffer most excruciating 

 agony, but is too depressed or too much afraid to express his 

 suffering in the usual manner. If there are colicky pains, their 

 manifestation continues but for a short period, and gives way to 

 great depression; the animal standing almost immoveable; a 

 tucked-up and tense abdomen ; hurried breathing ; quick, hard, 

 wiry, rapid pulse ; coldness of the extremities ; rapid sinking, 

 and death ; occasionally the animal becomes delirious, or coma- 

 tose and paralysed. 



Traumatic peritonitis is an inflammation partaking of the 

 nature of erysipelas, spreading rapidly from its point of origin 



