SCIKKHOUS CORD. 123 



have seen a case of scirrhous cord become fully developed within 

 three weeks after castration. In it, the lower end of the cord was 

 of the thickness of a man's fore-arm, and had two sinuses which 

 were about three inches deep, and which were full of thick pus. 

 Old standing cases of thickened cord with adherence to the scrotum, 

 but without suppuration, may be due to external irritation accom- 

 panied by increased vascularity, and not to the action of a parasite ; 

 although the part in them is particularly well-placed to become 

 infected by such an organism. Death may take place by the 

 debilitating effects of the disease, and by the tumour extending 

 into the abdomen. 



CIllCUMSTANCES PREDISPOSING TO SCIRRHOUS CORD.— 



As far as I know, the only circumstances which jDredispose a horse 

 to this disease, are: division of the cord too low down; undue 

 pulling on the cord, as might happen during castration; and 

 adherence of the edge of the scrotal wound to the end of the 

 divided cord. The natural tendency of the wounded surfaces of the 

 scrotum will be to adhere to the end of the cord, if the cord be 

 left sufficiently long to permit of such union taking place. If this 

 adherence be prevented, the cord will soon, by retracting, remove 

 its wounded end beyond the influence of outward irritation and 

 contamination. 



TREATMENT. — ^Whenever practicable, we should lose no time 

 in attempting the complete removal of the tumour. In doing this, 

 I would recommend that the first operation, by being thoroughly 

 radical, should of necessity be the last. I must, however, say that 

 Mr. W. R. Davies and other veterinary surgeons have had entire 

 success with partial removal of the tumour, and subsequent anti- 

 septic treatment. In operating, I would advise that the horse be 

 made to lie down in the manner described on page 641 et seq. ; put 

 under chloroform ; placed on his back ; and his hind legs drawn up 

 by side lines as in castration, and kept in this position by 

 a bag full of straw propped up against each side of him. 



Undoubtedly, torsion (p. 654) is the best method by which to 

 perform the operation of removal; for, by it, we make certain of 

 the division taking place in the sound part of the cord, which being 

 free from the new formation of fibrous tissue, is not so tough as 

 the affected portion. Mr. E. Bailey, M.R.C.V.S. of Leicester, who 

 has removed scirrhous cord according to this method in a large 

 number of cases, informs me that he has been invariably successful 

 in effecting a complete cure by it. 



Having secured our horse, we begin by making a circular 

 or oval incision through the skin of the scrotum round the end of 



