80 SPRINGTIME SURGERY 



for a distance of from six to ten inches, depend- 

 ing upon size and condition of animal. If, how- 

 ever, he has been tampered with, the cicatrical 

 tissue may offer considerable resistance. One 

 should use judgment though, and be sure to 

 break down sufficient tissue to insure plenty of 

 working room for the hand, so as not to tire it in 

 succeeding steps of the operation. 



Having penetrated to the above-named dis- 

 tance, one should be in the neighborhood of the 

 internal inguinal ring, which is recognized by a 

 much thinner feeling than the surrounding parts. 

 A rotary motion of the hand will aid in reaching 

 the part, and some operators employ sterilized or 

 antiseptized oil to facilitate the process. I have 

 never used oil. When my fingers have reached 

 the peritoneum covering the internal inguinal 

 ring I instruct the man at the head to tighten 

 the twitch, and at the instant of full inspiration I 

 perforate it with either index or second finger 

 or both, and usually contact the testicle immedi- 

 ately. In many cases, however, I have had to 

 search or finger for the organ or the vas deferens 

 for varying lengths of time, but in no case have 



