PREFACE 



To those entrusted with the onerous task of castrating and 

 spaying domestic animals the scantness of modern literature — 

 especially that printed in English and by American authors — 

 dealing with the subject must have always proved a matter of 

 considerable embarrassment. 



This universally recognized lack of a well illustrated book on 

 the important subject of unsexing animals has induced the author 

 to write and publish this volume. 



It is offered with the desire and hope that it will — in a meas- 

 ure at least — close this wide gap in our English speaking lit- 

 erature. 



Twenty-one years' actual and active experience in city and 

 rural practice as well as several years as a teacher of this par- 

 ticular subject leads me to believe that a text-book well illustrated, 

 written by an American, based on American methods, will be 

 acceptable to the student and practitioner who really has a de- 

 sire to become proficient in performing the operations of cas- 

 tration and spaying. The illustrations and text are for the most 

 part original. The methods described are those employed in 

 actual every-day practice by the author. 



In presenting this volume to the indulgence of veterinarians 



the author's only regret is that during its preparation he was 



State Veterinarian of Tennessee, and did not have the time at 



his disposal to insure the best authorship results. Hence he is 



constrained to appeal for lenient judgment and criticism on the 



book prepared under no common stress of duties — administrative, 



professional, social and political. 



George R. White. 



