70 Animal Castration 



piration of 24 hours remove packing, unlialter animal, and if 

 possible turn him to pasture. Turning to pasture is advocated for 

 two reasons, viz. : first, for exercise, which is a very essential part 

 of the after treatment ; second, to get the patient away from the 

 dirt and manure around the barnyard and stable, thus avoiding 

 the greatest danger of wound contamination. 



Moderate daily exercise is essential even should it become neces- 

 sary to force the patient to take it. Violent exercise is harmful, 

 and is not called for at any stage of the game. Usually as soon as 

 the swelling appears and the soreness develops — the very time 

 they need exercise most — there is a tendency on part of the pa- 

 tient to stand still in one place for hours without moving. Should 

 such happen, the animal must be led in a walk at end of halter 

 rein about a mile morning and night until after the eighth or 

 ninth clay. If lips of skin wound adhere together in such man- 

 ner as to interfere with free inguinal and scrotal drainage, then 

 the parts and the operator's fingers should be thoroughly washed 

 and the scrotum opened, after which irrigate the wound. 



Keep bowels lax by bran mashes and green food. 



Sequelae— Septic Infection (see page 74). Tetanus (see page 

 74). Abscess of Scrotum and Inguinal Canal (see page 74). 

 Colic (see page 77). Prolapse of Intestine (see page 76). In- 

 juries from Casting (see page 76). Peritonitis (see page 77). 

 Primary and Secondary Hemorrhage (see page 79). Oedema of 

 Sheath and Ventral Surface of Abdomen (see page 79). Para- 

 phimosis (see page 81). Azoturia (see page 77). Schirrous Cord 

 (see page 82.) 



Be m arks — If the foregoing illustrations and description of the 

 "ridgling" operation are not plain and self-explanatoiy, then the 

 author must confess that he is incapable of inrparting knowledge 

 or information of this character. An extra effort was purposely 

 and honestly made to dispense with much superfluous "stuff" 

 often termed "information" widely used by some in describing 

 the modus operandi of "ridgling" castration. The reader is here 

 assured that the author's only object was to level the technique 

 down to a plain, solid, practical basis in order that this most nec- 

 essary economic operation could be learned and more generally 

 practiced for the benefit of mankind in general and the American 

 horse raising industry in particular. 



