432 BOVINE PATHOLOGY. 



should be carefully examined, to ensure the absence of 

 hernia, before castration is commenced. Haemorrhage 

 may be treated by cold-water applications, or by taking 

 up the artery and applying a ligature. Adhesions must 

 be broken down, and not allowed to interfere with the 

 operation. Finally, if flies be troublesome, the parts may 

 be dressed with carbolic solution, but animals should be 

 castrated as much as possible when no flies are about. 

 The slight movements of the animals in pasture, and green 

 food will do them good. Sometimes it is deemed advisable 

 to perform the operation with the patient standing. He 

 is then secured by fastening the hind limbs together, or 

 by means of the side-line. 



Emasculation of the ox is less frequently performed by 

 the veterinary practitioner than of the horse. It is 

 generally placed in the hands of empirical operators, 

 who sometimes, by practice, attain considerable dexterity, 

 but are not competent to meet the emergencies which 

 may arise, and require prompt action. It is thus not 

 infrequent to find the operation omitted from works on 

 diseases and treatment of cattle, but we have thought it 

 advisable to give the above resume of methods. 



Orchitis — inflammation of the testicle — may result 

 from injury or excessive copulation. The former is the 

 most frequent cause. There is considerable pain and 

 heat in the diseased part, the dense investment of which 

 does not freely admit of swelling, and fever may run high. 

 Atrophy and suppuration have been noted as consequences ; 

 in either case there is apt to be loss of generative power, 

 or the animal will become an irregular stock getter. 

 Measures adapted to control local inflammation, together 

 with febrifuges, will generally restore the animal to health. 

 Sometimes the inflammation is of a scrofulous character, 

 leading to deposits of a speciflc nature in the testis; 

 this is the state known as Tubercular Sarcocele. The 

 animal should not then be again utilised for breeding 

 purposes, but early castration may check the progress of 

 the disease. 



Sarcocele is enlargement of the testis ; it may be can- 



