SURGICAL OPERATIONS. i45 



Wlien a full-grown horse is operated on, some further prepa- 

 ration is necessary. He should not be in a state of debility, and, 

 certainly, not in one of plethora. In the latter case, lower his diet ; 

 and it would be prudent to give him a purgative. It is also ad- 

 visable that it be done when no influenza or strangles rage, as we 

 have found the effects of castration render a horse very obnoxious 

 to any prevalent disease. The advanced spring season — previous, 

 however, to the flies becoming troublesome — is the proper time for 

 the performance of the operation upon all valuable horses ; and 

 be careful that it be not done until after the winter coat has been 

 shed, which will have a favorable effect on the future coating of 

 the horse, independent of the circumstance that at a period of 

 change the constitution is not favorable to unusual excitement. 



Castration is performed in various ways, but in all it expresses 

 the removal of the testicles. There are methods of rendering the 

 animal impotent without the actual destruction of these organs; 

 for if, by any other method, the secretion of the spermatic glands 

 is prevented, our end is answered. 



Castration by cauterization is the method which has been prin- 

 cipally practiced among us ; but this by no means proves it the 

 best. On the contrary, many of our most expert veterinarians 

 do not castiate by this method. Mr. Goodwin, and many other 

 practitioners of eminence, never castrate by cautery. 



A preliminary observation should be made previously to casting, 

 to see that the horse is not suffering from a rupture. Such cases 

 , have happened ; and as in our method we open a direct commu- 

 nication with the abdomen, when the horse rises it is not improb- 

 able that his bowels protrude until they trail on the ground. 

 Hernia, as a consequence of castration, may easily occur by the 

 uncovered operation ; for, as already observed, it makes the scrotal 

 Buc and abdominal cavity one continuous opening. It is not to 

 be wondered at, therefore, if the violent struggles of the animal 

 should force a quantity of intestine through the rings into the 

 scr )tal bag. Should we be called on to operate on a horse which 

 already had hernia, it is evident we ought not to proceed with it 

 unless the owner be apprised of the risk, and willing to abide by 

 it. In such cases, we would recommend that the method of Girard 

 be practiced ; that is, to inclose the tunica vaginalis within the 

 clams, (sufficiently tight to retain them, but not to produce death 

 in the part,) pushed high up against the abdominal ring, and then 



