38 ANllMAL CASTRATION 



tures pertaining to the cryptorchid. However, some 

 consideration of the inguinal region is in order. In 

 the trne abdominal cryptorchid there is necessarily a 

 complete absence of all evidence of scrotum. The 

 structures at this point assume the appearance of an 

 inverted funnel, and horses manifesting this condition 

 are known by castrators as "blanks." Since no tes- 

 ticle has descended into the canal, the pudic vessels 

 and nerves are closely invested by areolar tissue, and 

 the entire inguinal I'cgion in front of the inguinal liga- 

 ment is closed. At the site of the inner alidoniinal 

 ring we should consider the anatomy of these animals 

 under two general classifications — the one wherein 

 theic exists a definite area of delicate aponeurotic tis- 

 sue surrounded Ijy a heavier muscular margin, this be- 

 ing a portion of the aponeurotic pai't of the inner 

 obli<|ue abdominal muscle; the other class of subjects 

 are those wherein at the site of the inner ring there 

 is to be found a broad expanse of very thin aponeu- 

 rotic tissue with no definite heavy surrounding margin. 

 In the abdominal cryptorchid, the testicle is floating 

 free in the abdominal cavity, contained within its 

 mesorchial covering anchored liy the mesorchium in 

 the sub-lumbar region and further attached by means 

 of the gubernaculum testes — a muscular structure at- 

 tached to the postero-cxternal part of the upper por- 

 tion of the inguinal canal. Additional attachment is 

 supplied the floating testicle by means of the vas def- 

 erens, which is continued from the testicle within its 

 peritoneal coverings through the plica urogenitalis to 

 the region of the neck of the bladder. Consequently, 

 in seeking the floating testicle, if the free appendage 

 — the lesticle or ihc epididymis — is not readily located, 

 either the gubernaculum testes situated at the postero- 



