278 VETERINARY SURGICAL OPERATIONS 



cleansed. The scalpel and especially the ecraseur is boiled 

 or otherwise rendered safely aseptic. 



TECHNIQUE.— The apex of the scrotum is taken in the 

 fist of the left hand and resected by one sweep of the scalpel, 

 instead of making individual vertical incisions for, each tes- 

 ticle. This form of oscheotomy exposes the ends of both 

 testicles with the tunica vaginalis still covering them. The 

 tunica vaginalis is then manually loosened from the scrotum, 

 to which it is feebly attached by areolar tissue, and the ecras- 

 eur chain adjusted over it at the highest possible level with- 

 out exposing the testicle itself. The ecrasement is per- 

 formed slowly to assure a safe haemostasis. 



AFTER-CARE. — As long as there is no evidence of local 

 complications the parts are not molested, but if the scrotum 

 fills up with secretions or becomes swollen the wound should 

 be drained and irrigated daily. Formalin J^% gives the best 

 results as an irrigating liquid. Exercise, pasturing, sunlight, 

 succulent feeds and abundance of water, are essential to the 

 best results. 



Castration of Calves- 



Calves are usually castrated very young, sometimes at 

 birth, but the best breeders prefer to postpone the operation 

 until they have arrived at the age of three to four months, 

 and especially until such time as they can be allowed the ad- 

 vantage of a good, clean pasture. Stable confinement is 

 more dirty, even in the cleanest establishments, while romp- 

 ing about in the pasture, in addition to affording the greatest 

 possible cleanliness, encourages good health and vigor, and 

 thus forestalls complications. 



The calf should be secured by "hog tying" the legs or by 

 the sheer force of one or two men. The scrotum is washed 

 with soap and water and submitted to a good friction of mer- 

 curic chloride 1-500. The apex is picked up with all of the 

 fingers of the left hand and excised with the scalpel, then 

 when the testicle is released from the tunica vaginalis are 

 pulled bodily out one after the other (castration by avul- 

 sion). Shreds of the cord that protrude from the scrotum 

 are snipped off. A dusting with iodoform completes the op- 

 eration. 



Castration of Lambs. 



The mortality amongst castrated lambs is higher than in 

 the other species, unless special provisions are made to pre- 

 vent complications. The scrotum of lambs is a folded, 



