226 SURGICAL DISEASES 



animal be dieted for twelve or eighteen hours before attempting 

 to operate. The after-treatment consists in giving the animal 

 separate quarters and feeding a light diet. 



Enlarged or scirrhous cords follow infection of the wound, 

 usually with spores of a certain fungus (Botryomyces). This 

 complication more often follows castration of cattle and pigs 

 than of colts. Wrong methods of operating, such as leaving the 

 stump of the cord too long and insufficient drainage for the pus 

 and wound secretions, are tlie factors that favor this complica- 

 tion. Scirrhous cords or fibrous tumors should be dissected 

 out and removed before they have become large and begun 

 breaking do^vn. 



Castration of Ridgeling or Cryptorchid Animals. — In the 

 ridgeling animal one or both of the testicles have not descended 

 into the scrotal sac, and are usually lodged in the inguinal 

 canal or abdominal cavity. If the testicle is lodged in the 

 inguinal canal the animal is tenned a " flanker." In yearling 

 colts the testicular cord is sometimes short, and the testicle is 

 situated high up in the scrotum and inguinal canal. In examin- 

 ing a supposed cryptorchid colt, he should be twitched. This may 

 cause the testicle to descend into the scrotum. 



The castration of a true cryptorchid requires a special opera- 

 tion. When properly performed and the animal given special 

 after-care, the operation is not followed by any serious complica- 

 tions. An abnormally large, diseased testicle is sometimes met 

 with that cannot be removed in the usual way, and which com- 

 plicates and increases the difficulty of operating. 



Caponizing. — The castration or caponizing of the male 

 chicken is commonly practised in certain localities. This opera- 

 tion changes the disposition of the cockerel. He becomes more 

 quiet and sluggish, never crows, the head is small, the comb and 

 wattles cease growing and the hackle and saddle feathers become 

 well developed. A capon always develops more uniformly and 

 is larger than the cockerel. 



