Castration an£> spaying 251 



precursor of a scirrhous cord; it may act as the initial seat 

 of a grave septic peritonitis ; or it may terminate in the 

 formation of a hot abscess that produces all of the symp- 

 toms of septic peritonitis from which it is differentiated by 

 the prompt abortion of the fever when the abscess is 

 drained by opening the incisions in the scrotum. Funiculitis 

 is but a local inflamation of the cord and canal that is only 

 serious when the virulence of the infection or the meager 

 autogenic resistance of the patient cause it to spread into 

 the peritoneum. 



Simple cases of funiculitis require no special treatment 

 until general symptoms (fever, etc.) indicate the existence 

 •of sepsis. As long as there is no fever, no matter how badly 

 the cords are swollen, it is prudent to- trust solely to exer- 

 cise for the cure ; but on the first appearance of a rise of 

 the temperature the canals must be drained and irrigated- 

 to prevent graver consequences, and when the tumefaction 

 becomes chronic, lasting for several months (scirrhous 

 cord), operative intervention will be necessary. (See 

 scirrhous cord). 



CEdema of the Sheath. — (Edema or Swelling of the 

 sheath is a very common result of castration. This loose, 

 pendulant structure is a favorable harbor for serous in- 

 filtrations. It requires little provocation to produce swell- 

 ing of the sheath in any event, and the wound of castration, 

 even in the absence of any signs of sepsis, is sufficient to 

 cause it in a very threatening if not serious form. The 

 swelling of the sheath following castration is a trivial 

 matter unless it occurs as the reflection of a sepsis at the 

 seat of operation, or becomes voluminous enough to cause 

 paraphimosis. It follows aseptic as well as septic opera- 

 tions, long as well as short incisions of the scrotum, and 

 any of the various methods of ablation or any of the sys- 

 tems of after-care. Its prevention seems impossible. The 

 swelling usually begins on the third or fourth day after the 

 operation and it increases gradually until the tenth or 

 twelfth day when it begins to diminish by gradual stages. 



The treatment of oedema of the sheath must vary ac- 

 cording to the cause. If there is fever to indicate that the 

 cause is infection of the seat of operation, the scrotum must 

 be drained by promptly opening the incision with the well 

 cleaned fingers; then irrigate the canals to assure thorough 

 cleansing of the infected area. On the other hand, if the 

 oedema is not accompanied by any systemic derangement, 

 exercise alone may safely be depended upon unless the 



