CAPONS 399 
remaining attached to the body, in which case the organ will 
start to develop and a slip will result. This means that the opera- 
tion was incomplete, that some of the organ remains in the body, 
and that the bird will not develop capon characteristics nor grow 
as desired. In commercial caponizing this accident occurs in from 
three to five per cent of all birds operated upon. The possi- 
bility of fatalities is very slight after one has acquired the art. 
Death usually results from the rupture of a large artery which 
runs along the back of the body, and to which the testicle sac is 
closely attached. When this occurs, either from a misuse of the 
hook or a too deep knife cut near the backbone, or, in some cases, 
as a result of not getting the right hold on the testicle with the hair 
loop, the birds will immediately bleed to death. Such rupture 
is indicated by the presence of a large amount of blood in the 
cavity of the body, and perhaps by the noise which the escaping 
blood makes. These birds should be immediately plucked, for 
they can be used as broilers, the bleeding being the same as would 
be caused by sticking in the throat. The careless operator some- 
times ruptures the lungs or cuts a rib, which may lead to compli- 
cations at a later date, but this occurrence is very rare. A loss 
ranging from one to three per cent by death is a safe estimate. 
Marking Capons.—It is essential that all birds which have 
undergone the operation, whether successfully or not, should 
be plainly marked, so that there will be no possibility of ‘“ slips ” 
getting into the breeding pens. Toe punching and leg banding 
are often done, but in either case there is danger of the mark 
becoming obscured or, in leg banding, lost. In commercial work 
it is the custom, immediately after the operation and before re- 
moving the bird, to sever the nail of the right middle toe. This 
slight wound heals almost immediately, causes no pain, and leaves 
a permanent mark, the end of the toe never growing out again. 
These toes are usually collected by the paid caponizer, and hung 
in a little box under his board, to serve as his record of the number 
of birds caponized. 
Treatment After the Operation—tThe bird should be removed 
from the operating table, the proper way being to carry him by 
the wings, and placed in a clean, airy coop which will permit 
neither flying nor roosting, for the effort of flying to roost is apt 
to keep the wound open. Fresh water and plenty of soft feed 
should be immediately supplied. The birds will immediately 
begin to eat, and one would never imagine that a delicate opera- 
