^50 DADDS VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERl. 



ploy it again on an adult.' These observations, as emanating f-om 

 such a source, must be deemed important. 



Mr. Goodwin then offers the description of the French method 

 of operating, from Hurtrel d'Arboval : ' Castration by means of 

 the clams is the method in general use, if not the only one now 

 employed. It is the most ancient, since it was recommended by 

 Hieroclius among the Greeks. It is performed in two ways, the 

 testicle being covered or uncovered. In the former, the exterior 

 of the scrotum, formed by the skin and dartos muscle, is cut 

 through, and the testicle is brought out by dissecting away the 

 laminated tissue, the gland being covered by the tunica vaginalis. 

 The clam is then placed above the epididymis, outside the external 

 peritoneal covering of the cord. In the uncovered operation, the 

 incision is made through the servus capsule of the testicle. The 

 tunica vaginalis being divided, the testicle presents itself, and the 

 clam is placed well above the epididymis, on the cord. The ope- 

 ration, performed in either way, requires us to provide ourselves 

 with a scalpel, a pair of clams, a pair of long pincers, made pur- 

 posely to bring the ends of the clams together, and some waxed 

 string. The clams may be formed of different kinds of wood, but 

 the alder is considered the best, and generally made use of. To 

 make a clam, we procure a branch of old and dry alder, whose 

 diameter should be about an inch, and whose length should be 

 from five to six inches; of course, the dimensions must, at all 

 times, be proportioned to the size of the cord we have to operate 

 on. At the distance of half an inch from each end, a small nick, 

 sufficiently deep to hold the string, must be made, and then the 

 wood should be sawed through the middle lengthways. Each 

 divided surface should be planed, so as to facilitate the opening 

 of the clams, either when about to place them on or take them 

 off. The pith of the wood is then to be taken out, and the hollow 

 should be filled with corrosive sublimate and flour, mixed with 

 sufficien wa + er to form it into a paste. Some persons are not in 

 the habit of using any caustic whatever; then, of course, scooping 

 out of the inside of the clam is not necessary. Notwithstanding, 

 the caustic, inasmuch as it produces a speedier dissolution of the 

 parts, must be useful, and ought not to be neglected.' The addi- 

 tion of the caustic, however, Mr. Goodwin objects to, with great 

 reason, remarking that, unless it be a very strong one, and there- 

 fore dangerous to employ, it can not be of any use to parts com- 



