AMTUTATION OF THE PENia 635 



AJTPUTATION OF THE PENIS. 



Tustaiices occxir 'Prhen it becomes necessary to remove the 



penis bv ampntetion. "A state of disease" (says Mr. PercivaU),, 

 " either of the penis or of its preputial covering, such as has 

 resisted, or seems likely to resist, all treatment ; or, indeed, such . 

 as would piobably occupy any unieasonable length of time to- 

 cure, mi^ht, perhaps, warrant a recourse to amputation.'* 



I have performed this operation upon four horses, and in two- 

 of them with permanent success ; m one with temporary success, 

 whilst one case terminated fatally in a few hours after the opera- 

 tion, the animal being very aged and feeble. Three of the animals 

 were geldings, and one a stallion. Two of them had cancer of the 

 penis ; the others were suffering from paralysis and ulceration of 

 ihal organ. The operation was performed as follows : — The animal 

 having been cast and chloroform administered, a catheter waa in- 

 troduced into the urethra, and retained there by the passage of a 

 ligature round the penis, an inch or two above the seat of the 

 intended incision. The ends of the ligature were left long — the- 

 ligature itself being of strong twine — so that the penis could be 

 fully controlled during the operation. When a large portion of 

 the penis had to be removed, the ligature was passed through, 

 the healthy portion of t]ie penis with a strong packing-needle, in 

 order to prevent withdrawal into the sheath before the arterial 

 branches were seemed. Everything being now fully at com- 

 mand, the diseased structures were removed by a bold circular 

 incision, the arteries searched for, and secured by ligature. But 

 little haemorrhage occurred in any of the cases operated upon 

 until some hoiirs hiid elapsed ; but at this' time some discharge 

 of blood took place, and continned occasionally for a few days,, 

 and arose from the corp is catemosum becoming filled with blood, 

 in consequence of slight erections of the pern's, resulting from 

 the irritation of the parts, more especially during the act of 

 urination. In one. case — that of the stallion — tliese elections - 

 ■were frequent, and the haemorrhage — wliich was of a dark 

 venouS character— alarming, but it could always be controlled by 

 the application of cold water. In order to prevent this venous 

 haemorrhage, I — in one case — allowed the ligature and catheter 

 to remain in situ for some time, fastening the catlieter to the 

 beUy by means of a cord tied round it, and canied over tha^ 



