CASTRATION OP THE STALLION 21 



'- ■Cleansing Operator's Hanels—'nie operator's hands should be thoroughly 



^ washed with soap and warm water — using a scrub or nail brush — before 



beginning castration, and tliey should be washed in an antiseptic solution 



between operations. The cleaner the operator is in his work tlie fewer cases 



of sepsis he will have to follow. 



Operative Technic — After the animal is cast and tied and the instru- 

 ments and hands of the operator prepared, the field of operation and the 

 surrounding parts should be thoroughly washed with Lysol or Liquor 

 Cresolis (U. S. P.), one tablespoonful to each quart of water. I con- 

 demn in the strongest and most emphatic terms wasliing the sheath at 

 the time of castrating, or undertaking in any manner to cleanse the interi- 

 or of the sheath. Washing the sheath at or immediately before castration 

 will not only contaminate the field of operation and thereby increase the 

 danger of sepsis, but it invariably encourages the early development of 

 aggravated cases of edema and often times paraphimosis. The sheath 

 should be washed several days before operating or it should be let alone 

 until after the animal has completely recovered. 



With the animal, instruments and operator's hands prepared, the scrotal 

 incision is made by grasping with the left hand the scrotum above both 

 testicles, and with two bold strokes of the knife cut through the skin of the 

 scrotum and testicular coverings without hesitation. Expose both testicles 

 to view. The larger the incision the better the results. The incisions should 

 not be less than three and one-half to four inches long and about three- 

 quarters to one inch on each side of the raphe (median line) and parallel 

 to it (Fig. 14). 



The testicles are now exijosed. Grasp one of them with the left hand, 

 being careful not to touch the cord above where it is to be severed. Place 

 the emasculator on the cord, being careful to see that the crushing side is 

 next to the scrotum. Stretch the cord at right angles to the animal by 

 making from two to three pounds — depending upon the size of the horse — 

 traction on the testicle, at the same time pushing the emasculator well 

 against the body and at right angles to the cord, then close the instrument 

 quickly and firmly until the cord and all its coverings are severed as close 

 to the scrotum as possible. (Fig. 15.) 



As soon as the cord is severed, quickly release it and hasten to remove 

 the opposite testicle. It is a useless waste of time and energy to allow the 

 cord to remain in tlie instrument for several minutes, as some operators 

 advocate. The quicker the cord is released the less the pain and the quicker 

 the blood will clot about the mouth of the artery. By the time the jaws 

 of the emasculator have come together the instrument has done all to the 

 cord that it can possibly do. Why procrastinate in removing it? 



