CASTRATION OF CRYPTORCHID HORSES. 149 



passing a pair of long uterine dressing forceps along the 

 hand, fasten them upon the vas deferens. The student 

 then completes the operation, using the forceps as a guide. 

 He thus learns the relations and character of the parts 

 and recognizes the internal ring with the peritoneum still 

 stretched across it, intact.) 



In case the vas deferens can not be felt before rupturing the 

 peritoneum, it may be broken through with the index finger 

 and inserting the finger into the cavity, the gubernaculum 

 is found attached to the postero-external border of the ring, 

 and but a short distance therefrom the finger comes in con- 

 tact with the vas deferens or with the tail of the epididymis 

 where the gubernaculum crosses it at E, in Plate XXII. 

 Having reached the vas deferens the operation is proceeded 

 with as above. Thus far the operator has not concerned 

 himself with the location of the testicle but relies wholly 

 upon the vas deferens or gubernaculum, since when either 

 of these is recognized the testicle is virtually within his 

 power. 



He thus proceeds upon the basis that he is not \.o find \.\\^ 

 testicle for the reason that it is not lost but that it has de- 

 finite relations and attachments which permit of certain 

 displacements of the organ itself but not of its attachments. 



Having drawn the vas deferens out through the wound 

 tension is exerted upon it which tends to cause the testicle 

 to follow but sometimes the gland is too large to pass the 

 internal ring and the latter needs be dilated by inserting 

 an index finger in it or the testicle needs be guided 

 through the opening. 



We have described herein one method of castrating a 

 cryptorchid horse where the cryptorchidy is due to an arrest 

 in the development of the gland and of its descent. There 

 are other methods employed which introduce variations at 

 each step, many operators making the incision over the 

 external ring instead of near the median line. Other 



