252 



VETERINARY SURGICAL OPERATIONS 



swelling becomes very large or threatens to so affect the 

 capacity of the sheath as to produce paraphimosis, in which 

 event moderate scarification may be practiced to good ad- 

 vantage. The operation of scarification is preceded by a 

 good washing of the parts to be punctured with a strong 

 antiseptic solution ; then, with a lancet or scalpel guarded 

 with the thumb and finger to only penetrate a short dis- 

 tance, a number of stabs are made here and there, chiefly 

 about the anterior part of 'the sheath. The effect is the 

 dripping of considerable serosity for some hours. The 



Fig. 128 — Paraphimosis Following Castration. 



wounds thus made are then submitted to frequent baths of 

 antiseptics to prevent them being transformed into purulent 

 tracts by becoming infected. When the oedema accentuates 

 instead of diminishing, the operation may be repeated every 

 second or third day, but the reiteration need not be practiced 

 after there is any evidence of a decrease in the volume of the 

 swellings. 



Paraphimosis. — Prolapse of the penis results from two 

 distinct initial causes. The first and most common one is 

 oedema of the sheath and prepuce, in which instance the 



