4: ANn[AL CASTRATION 



eiice and tluit both instruments are equally satisfactory ; either may be pur- 

 chased without making a mistake. 



Each and every instrument illustrated in this volume possesses merit, and 

 no mistake will be made in selecting any of them. Our object in thus illus- 

 trating and describing the instruments is that the novice may have the ad- 

 vantage of the author's more than a quarter of a century's experience in 

 selecting and using this class of surgical instruments, and with the hope 

 that the information herein contained may in a measure at least protect 

 the inexperienced castrator from waking up later to the fact that he is in 

 possession of a lot of useless "junk" which has been sold to him for cas- 

 trating and spaying instruments. 



METHODS 



It will be further observed that onlj- oiie method of operating is illus- 

 trated and described; quite a revolution in this class of literature. All 

 antiquated methods and operative technie have been purposely omitted in 

 order to avoid confusion and embarrassment. The methods mentioned are 

 those which most appeal to tlie author's fancy, and while he considers them 

 the best, safest, and most satisfactory, he lays no claim to their being the 

 only good methods, and is perfectly willing to accord to others the privilege 

 of using other metliods if thej' so desire without quarreling with them, 



RESTRAINT 



Restraint of domestic animals, in the broadest acceptation of the term, 

 means much to the average busy, active practitioner of veterinary surgery. 



Each species of our domestic animals is endowed with one or more means 

 of defense. These are oftentimes — in individuals of certain temperament — 

 converted into weapons of offense. The horse will strike, kick and bite ; 

 the ox will gore and kick ; the dog and hog will bite. It is these weapons 

 of offense that we are called upon to control and overcome by restraint. 

 These animals must be rendered harmless by the means of restraint which 

 we luive at hand. The particular method employed, of course, depends 

 largelj' upon the animal and the degree of restraint necessary. 



While it is constanth^ found necessary to employ methods of animal re- 

 straint, one should always employ them in as humane a manner as possi- 

 ble. Humanitarian treatment is as essential here as elsewhere in the prac- 

 tice of veterinary science. AVe should never take advantage of an animal 

 when confined in order to cause torture or to inflict unnecessary pain of 

 any kind. 



The surgeon is confronted witli problems of restraint or some method of 

 subjection almost every hour of each day of his professional career. 



Not onlj^ does the restraint problem confront and concern the surgeon. 



