566 DISEASES OF THE ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



A mash-diet ought to be enforced. And some simple 

 enemata, which are safer than aperient medicine (should the 

 bowels require softening) may be exhibited. Attention being 

 paid, as in the case of the colt, to the wounds in the scrotum, 

 and to cleanliness. 



Castration by Compression was first introduced to the 

 notice of veterinarians of this country by Mr. Goodwin, 

 through a paper he read on the subject at the Veterinary 

 Medical Society in 1828, which was afterwards published in 

 ' The Veterinarian.' It appears to be the most ancient 

 of any of the different modes of operating ; and is, according 

 to D'Arboval, at the present time almost the only one in 

 vogue in France. The rationale of it consists in devising 

 means to squeeze the spermatic cord to that degree that all 

 communication, vascular and nervous, become intercepted 

 between the testicle below and the cord above the part com- 

 pressed ; the consequence of which, of course, is, the destruc- 

 tion of the vitality of the testicle, and, ultimately, its spon- 

 taneous separation from the body by the process of sloughing. 

 The pressure may be made upon the cord either while covered 

 by the tunica vaginalis, or after it has been uncovered, or 

 deprived of that membrane. The instruments requisite for 

 its performance are, a scalpel or bistoury ; two pairs of wooden 

 clams, each pair already fastened at one end; strong waxed 

 ligatuy^es to secure the other ends ; and a pair of pincers for 

 closing and holding the clams. The clams commonly made use 

 of are nothing more than sections of old and seasoned elder- 

 wood ; though some have since been manufactured of box and 

 lance-wood, which appear more conveniently shaped, though 

 there is no great advantage in them over the others. The 

 grooves in them are usually filled with a caustic paste : one 

 composed of the bichloride of mercury or sulphate of copper, 

 and flour and water, appears well suited for the purpose. 

 I have on several occasions, however, omitted using any 

 caustic whatever, imagining it could not exert any — or any 

 actual — eff'cct under the unremitting pressure of the clams ; 

 but I found I had not produced the same mortifying results 

 on these occasions, and therefore I now always employ 



