CASTRATION OF THE HORSE 55 



volving the tissues adjacent. Animals so afflicted may 

 manifest little uneasiness or discomfort except at cer- 

 tain periods when the affected parts become greatly 

 swollen, causing- local soi'eness, pain, and some lame- 

 ness. The necrotic process results in the formation 

 of more or less pus which eventually makes its own 

 outlet. The secretions are discharged and in the course 

 of a few weeks the wound closes and the process recurs 

 again in the same course of time. This slowly de- 

 structive affection may cause the tissues involved to 

 assume proportions quite large, and is painful and in- 

 convenient for the animal. The condition is distin- 

 guished from hydi'ocele and hernia by its dense and 

 hypertrophic chaj'acter which involves the surround- 

 ing tissue as well. 



Treatment. — The subject is cast and confined as for 

 crj'ptorchid castration, and a rectal administration of 

 J.Lw or 2 ounces of chloi'al hydrate dissolved in a ciuar" 

 of tepid water twenty minutes before operating, is 

 suggested. The surgical field is cleansed as for castra- 

 tion ; the cicatricial pendent portion of the scrotum 

 is secured with vulsellum forceps and an elliptical in- 

 cision is then made including the tissues thus grasped. 

 By dissecting around the pear-shaped mass, the ne- 

 crotic structures are separated from the tissues ad- 

 herent, taking care not to include too much healthy 

 tissue. Thus the mass is carefully separated up to a 

 point "H'here the cord is in a healthy state, and ampu- 

 tation of the mass with the eeraseur is effected. Tn 

 the average case, it is found that the cord is diseased 

 within the inguinal canal only and it is exceedingly 

 rare that the involvemcnl extends as high as the inner 

 abdominal ring. However, thei'c are recorded cases 

 where the cord has been affected into the abdominal 



