CASTRATION. 579 



through the fascia, immediately underneath the artery, and 

 divide all below ^yith a scalpel, leaving little or nothing but 

 the artery remaining : afterwards take hold of the testicle, 

 and with a large knife, with a slightly roughened edge 

 (common post-mortem or table knife), scrape through the 

 artery, turning the edge of the knife (as the horse lies) 

 downwards, and slightly inclined towards the belly. The 

 movement of the knife must be rapid, and about four back- 

 ward and forward motions will do. Give then a dash of 

 cold water, and lead the horse to a stall well littered. Some- 

 times a few drops of blood fall for about half an hour, 

 seldom longer. Keep the animal quiet ; give him his grass 

 or hay, and half a feed of corn ; maintain him standing the 

 first day, but let him lie down the next; exercise half an 

 hour morning and evening; gradually increase feed and 

 exercise. 



" A system somewhat similar was introduced by Mr. 

 Jennings, late V.S. of Artillery, who, whilst at the Cape on 

 leave, saw it performed on colts by a farmer. But the 

 manner in which he saw it done, and afterwards practised 

 it, was scraping through the whole cord : this, I need not 

 say, is a disgusting and fearfully tiresome operation, espe- 

 cially in old horses ; for when you get half-way through the 

 cord you cut a little, and just in the wTong place, it being 

 impossible to see the artery, and then you have the blood 

 spirting in your eyes the remainder of the time. Mr. 

 Western, V.S. of the Body Guard, was of the same opinion as 

 myself. I was, nevertheless, struck by the manner in which 

 those horses I operated upon recovered, showing little or no 

 pain, leaving the ' sick lines' cured, and in as good condition 

 as when they entered ; so I tried it on ray present plan, and 

 with complete success. The operation takes me from one 

 minute to one and a half, from the time I make the first 

 incision to the horse being on his legs again. Of course, 

 with adhesion of the vaginal covering it takes longer. I 

 have castrated on my new plan 270 horses in my own 

 regiment, about fifteen daily, and every horse has done well. 

 Ten by caustic clams ; two by firing (one died) ; two by 



