PREFACE TO FIRST EDITION 



To those entrusted with the oiici-ous task of eastratiiig and spaying domes- 

 tie animals, tlie seantness of modern literature — especially that printed in 

 English and by American authors — dealing with the subject, must have 

 always proved a matter of considerable emliarrassment. 



Tills universally recognized lack of a well illustrated book on the im- 

 portant subject of uusexing animals, has induced the author to write and 

 jniblish this volume. 



It is offered with the desire and hope that it will — in a measure at least — 

 close this wide gap in our English speaking literature. 



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

 tice, as well as several years as a teacher of this particular subject, leads me 

 to believe that a textbook well illustrated, written by an American, based on 

 American methods, will be accejitable to the student and x'ractitioner who 

 really has a desire to become proficient in i)erformiug the operations of 

 castration and spaying. The illustrations and text are for the most part 

 original. The methods described are those employed in actual everyday 

 practice by the author. 



In presenting this volume, the author's only regret is that during its 

 preparation he w-as State Veterinarian of Tennessee, and did not have the 

 time at his disposal to insure the best authorship. 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 

 ])olitical. 



George R. White. 



