422 VETERINARY LECTURES 



success, the operation, at the best, is not one of a pleasant nature ; 

 but when the safety of mankind is at stake, the end justifies the 

 means. In the horse the time selected for castration is when the 

 animal is rising one year old — in the spring months, April and 

 May — just before it is turned out to grass, but the operation can be 

 performed at any age and at any time. 



734. The Horse. — At the present day there is a great amount 

 of controversy going on between those who favour operating on the 

 colt in the standing posture, and those who cast and secure the 

 animal. The use of chloroform is also being discussed, but, generally 

 speaking, every operator has his own particular method. An old- 

 fashioned, yet I think the best way, is to cast and secure the colt ; 

 then, before operating, wash the penis well with cold water and 

 carbolic soap, dry it with a clean rough towel, and pour into the 

 sheath a little carbolic oil, smearing some of it also over the bag 

 (scrotum) ; next press the testicle tight into the scrotum, holding it 

 firmly there by the left hand ; then by one quick sweep of a sharp 

 knife make a bold opening, and expose the gland, which is seized 

 and pulled gently up ; the clam is put on about from 1 J to 2 inches 

 up the cord, and with the hot iron — dead red-heat is best — the non- 

 vascular, or hinder portion, is quickly cut through, and liberated 

 from the clam ; next the spermatic cord (or string) is slowly seared 

 through, and when satisfied that the bleeding has stopped, by gently 

 opening and shutting the clam, let the parts go, and treat the other 

 testicle in the same way. This mode of operating, with an ordinary 

 colt, only takes from eight to twelve minutes to cast, tie, wash, 

 castrate, and liberate, and owing to the success attending it, I am 

 very partial to it. Many operators, however, both qualified and 

 unqualified, open the scrotum with the hot iron, and are very 

 successful. Other forms of operation are to remove the testicles 

 with the ecraseur, demasculator, or by torsion instruments. 

 I have tried these instruments, but do not favour them, as, in many 

 cases, profuse bleeding followed. 



735. Some operators, again, lay open the scrotum with a knife, and 

 fix on to the cord a clam made of two pieces of wood, for the purpose 



