CONSEQUENCES_OP_CASTRATION'.. 649 



Tetami^ may result frour^castratioiijj although' the operation 

 ha? been careftilly performed. It happens here as it does "when 

 caused by any wound or injury, and the operator cannot be held 

 responsible, although attempts have been made^to^ recover 

 damages when death has so occurred. 



Amaiirosis. — This complication has been'observed by several 

 writers, but in every instance the horse has been subjected to 

 improper treatment shortly after the operation, , or the hjemor- 

 rhage has been excessive. In soine instances sight has been 

 restored in a few days, whilst in others the animaLhas remained 

 permanently blind. 



Hernia after castration has been already noticed. 



Champitjrnem, sctrrhits of the cord, or sarcocde, arises'from cas- 

 tration M'ith the caustic clam, when the operator has neglected, 

 while removing the clam, to separate the adhesions which 

 always take place between the cord and the lips of the wound; 

 from castration with the actual cautery when the cord has been 

 left too long, or when the creni aster muscle has suffered from 

 some debility, and the extremity of the cord has remained in 

 contact with the wounded scrotum, or has slightly protruded 

 beyond the opening. Jlr. Percivall, translating B'Arboval. 

 .{jives an extended account of this afl'cction ; but it is evident 

 that neither ho nor his French authority had ever considered 

 the above-mentioned causes. In order to prevent scirrhus of 

 the cord, it is necessary when tlie operation is performed by the 

 clam, that the operator should introduce his finger into the 

 wound, and gently separate the cord from the scrotum, by 

 tearing tho adhesions asunder, and pushing tlie cord upwaixls 

 towards the abdominal ring. There is no difficulty in eiroct- 

 ing this at the time the clam is removed, the material consti- 

 tuting the adhesions beiiiL; of a nou-vasculnr, easily lacenxbla 

 nature ; whereas, if the soparation be not ellocted, tlie end of 

 the cord, imprisoned in the scrotal wound, and subjected to 

 sources of irritation, becomes intlamed, and finally constitutes 

 a fibro-vascular mass, sometimes attaining the size of a rnaiv^ 

 Ixead, forming a fungous tmnour several pounds in weight, ilr. 

 Percivall states that the tumour varies in size and form ; some- 

 times its largest part is below, sometimes above. In my own 

 <.*xperience, the t\nuour has been largest below, appearing as a 

 4yiuliilower excrescence on the cut end of the coixl, the coi\l 



