CASTRATION. 589 



halts upon the affected side, and at times the limb becomes 

 swollen all the way down ; and, should both cords be diseased, 

 the movement of both hind limbs becomes painful : the 

 patient no longer lying down, but continuing to be preyed 

 upon by an exhausting suppuration and fever, ending in 

 marasm and death. The cord on dissection appears solid, 

 thick, and scirrhous, and as large as a man's arm in volume, 

 all the way from the wound to the loins, having vessels in 

 it the size of one's finger, and divers abscesses full of black, 

 sanious, fetid matter. The kidney, haunch, and thigh of 

 the same side contain fistulous ulcerations ; the bladder has 

 the appearance of scirrhus : in fine, all the surrounding parts 

 participating more or less in the general disorganization. 



Scirrhus and champignon constitute a grave, often indeed 

 a mortal, affection. Among the numerous and discernible 

 causes for it, the principal are such as occasion inflammatory 

 irritation. It is generally believed that placing the clams 

 upon the epididymis, or not immediately above it, may pro- 

 duce the disease. Let not the fear of being able to accom- 

 plish the drawing down of the testicle induce us to place the 

 clams close upon it, where the compression must necessarily 

 be incomplete ; on the other hand, let us not place the clams 

 unreasonably high up, lest the cord become dragged by the 

 expansion and pressure of the belly against it. Aged horses 

 are more liable than colts to champignon ; and stallions more 

 than stone-horses who have never had marcs. Lastly, 

 champignon may result from the cord being diseased prior 

 to operation. 



Treatment of Champignon. — In robust and healthy 

 subjects, champignon and scirrhus often become dissipated, 

 in the course of time, by a continued profuse suppuration ; 

 in which case the swelling disappears in from six to twelve 

 months. Fomentations, dressings, and exercise, promote 

 this favorable termination. When there is no prospect of 

 resolution in this manner, the operations of amputation. and 

 ligature are offered for our notice. It has been proposed to 

 cut or burn oft' champignons while the cord continues in a 

 swollen and painful condition ; l)ut from this, gangrene is 



