PART I. 



CASTRATION. 



Definition — Orchectomy; excision of one or more testicles. The 

 term castration is also applied to removal of ovaries from the 

 female. However, when the word castration appears in this vol- 

 ume — with exception of title — it has reference to unsexing the 

 male animal. 



History — Castration is one of the most ancient of surgical op- 

 erations upon animals. It was advocated and practiced as early 

 as seven centuries before the Christian era. Time and tradition 

 have not lessened its application or usefulness. In fact, during 

 recent years the popularity of the operation has rapidly in- 

 creased until now it is considered one of the most useful and 

 valuable in animal surgery. 



It is practiced without hesitancy upon all domestic and wild 

 animals, and its economic value cannot be overestimated. 



The earlier modes of operating were as follows: Martelage, 

 Tearing, Scraping, Torsion, Firing, Bistonrnage, Ligature and 

 Clamps. These ancient methods were extremely painful, and by 

 some considered cruel and inhumane. They have all been super- 

 seded by less painful and more modern ones, the most recent of 

 which are Emasculator, Vasectomy, Bisection, Vaso-Ligation and 

 lastly Vas-oeclusion recently advocated by Dr. Napoleon Berdozzi, 

 of Italy. While the above have been mentioned simply from an 

 historic viewpoint, one of them, viz., Emasculator, stands out 

 prominently as the best, most widely practiced and satisfactory 

 method of operating, and on this account the "Emasculator meth- 

 od" will be adhered to in all instances where it is applicable in 

 this volume. 



