CASTRATION. 569 



full from high living ; if so, they must be kept somewhat 

 short for a few days ; and in all, the choice of a mild season 

 and moderate temperature is proper. When a full-grown 

 horse is operated on, some further preparation is necessary. 

 He should not be in a state of debility, and certainly not 

 in one of plethora : in the latter case, lower his diet, and it 

 would be prudent to give him a purgative. It is also 

 advisable that it be done when no influenza or strangles 

 rage, as we have found the effects of castration render a 

 horse very obnoxious to any prevalent disease. The 

 advanced spring season, previous however to the flies 

 becoming troublesome, is the proper time for the perform- 

 ance of the operation upon all valuable horses ; and be 

 careful that it be not done until after the winter coat has 

 been shed, which will have a favourable effect on the future 

 coating of the horse, independent of the circumstance, that 

 at a period of change the constitution is not favourable to 

 any unusual excitement. 



Castration is performed in various ways, but in all it 

 expresses the removal of the testicles : there are methods 

 of rendering the animal impotent without the actual de- 

 struction of these organs ; for if by any other method the 

 secretion of the spermatic glands is prevented, our end is 

 answered. 



Castration by cauterization is the method which has been 

 principally practised among us. But this by no means 

 proves it the best ; on the contrary, many of our most 

 expert veterinarians do not castrate by this method. Mr. 

 Goodwin, and many other practitioners of eminence, never 

 castrate by cautery. 



A preliminary observation should be made prevdously to 

 casting, to see that the horse is not suffering from a 

 rupture : such cases have happened ; and as in our method 

 we open a direct communication with the abdomen, when 

 the horse rises it is not improbable that his bowels protrude 

 until they trail on the ground. Hernia as a consequence of 

 castration may easily occur by the uncovered operation, for, 

 as already observed, it makes the scrotal sac and abdominal 

 cavity one continuous opening. It is not to be wondered 

 at, therefore, if the violent struggles of the animal should 

 force a quantity of intestine through the rings into the 



