Covering Time. Ill 



structural malformations its employment becomes almost a 

 necessity. 



It is imperative that the inseminator should be kept 

 scrupulously clean by storing it in a dust-proof case, and by 

 sterilising it after use. When about to operate, the stud 

 groom, whose hands should be well washed with carbolic 

 soap, and whose finger nails must be closely pared, procures 

 two buckets of water previously sterilised by boiling and 

 allowed to cool off to about blood heat. Into one of these the 

 inseminator is plunged, with the piston rod pushed home to 

 prevent the ingress of water through the nozzle. Take the 

 other bucket of water, and with several tampons of cotton 

 wool swab out the vagina thoroughly, paying special atten- 

 tion to the neck of the womb. Throw each tampon when 

 soiled to one side and not into the clean water. When all 

 superfluous moisture has been swabbed up, and care been 

 taken to ascertain that no small detached portions of cotton 

 wool are left within the vagina, the lips of the vulva, the 

 anus, and perineum should quickly be cleansed, and the 

 stallion brought out to make the service. I should have 

 mentioned that some practitioners recommend the addition 

 of a little permanganate of potash or bi-earbonate of soda 

 to the water used for the preliminary swab out of the 

 vagina ; but the effect of either of these chemicals on the 

 spermatozoa being at least problematical, I have so far been 

 content to rely solely on pure water, thoroughly sterilised, 

 for cleansing purposes. 



Having rolled up his shirt sleeve on the left arm well 

 above the elbow, the operator will " stand by" while the 

 horse completes the service. As the horse dismounts, the 

 operator takes the inseminator from the bucket in his right 

 hand, plunges his left arm into the warm water (this facili- 

 tates entry to the vulva) and smartly, but without undue 



