122 CASTRATION OF CRYPTORCHID HORSES 



Pass the hand upward, outward and forward along the 

 aponeurosis of the small oblique until the crural arch is 

 reached, slightly anterior to the crural ring in which the 

 pulsating femoral artery can be felt, and palpate at this 

 point in the muscular wall for the internal inguinal ring 

 which varies greatly in different individuals but usually re- 

 veals itself to the fingers as an oblong slit or ring about one 

 inch in length covered only by peritoneum. Through this 

 usually extends a portion of the gubernaculum testis or of 

 the vas deferens. 



Examining Fig. 47, the peritoneal view of the internal 

 ring is shown crossed by the dotted line, V, of the upper or 

 right testicle, into which the tail of the epidids'mis extends 

 for a short distance. In the lower or left testicle the ring has 

 been opened and the gland lies in a position corresponding 

 to the right, showing the epididymis and vas deferens 

 lying in the processus vaginalis, P. The surgical relation 

 of the parts is further illustrated in Fig. 48, where the tes- 

 ticle is completely withdrawn into the peritoneal cavity 

 and spread out over the right flank. The processus vagi- 

 nalis, P, is outlined by a dotted line into which is intro- 

 duced a curved sound, S, alongside of which lies the guber- 

 naculum, G. The gubernaculum, it will be observed, is 

 divisible into three sections, a slender one, G, which by 

 passing along behind the peritoneum escapes from the ab- 

 dominal cavity at the postero-external commissure of the 

 ring to extend to the scrotum. The second portion of this 

 organ, G', is much thicker and extends from G to the epi- 

 didymis at E, while the third division, G", extends from 

 the epididymis to the testicle. 



In Fig. 48, it is shown that the testicle under all ordinary 

 conditions is inevitably attached through its gubernaculum 

 testis to the postero-external commissure of the ring, 

 that it has a second definite attachment to the seminal 

 bladder through the medium of the vas deferens, V, and a 



