AMPUTATION OF THE PENIS. 571 



which gives to this part of the urethra its name, and this erectile 

 tissue terminates anteriorly in an enlargement, more or less 

 developed, forming the head of the penis, or the glans penis. 

 The urethra proper protrudes a Httle below the center of the 

 head of the penis, and shows ia a cavity underneath, the urethral 

 fossa, more or less fiUed with a sebaceous secretion. The blood 

 vessels which ramify ia these erectile structures are the two dor- 

 sal arteries of the penis, anterior and posterior, and the veins, 

 which form large branches, running also upon the dorsal border 

 of the organ. 



Zundel very wisely insists upon two principal conditions (to 

 which we shall again refer) to realize in the operation, Jirst to 

 manage to leave a free means of exit for the urine, by cutting 

 away less of the urethra than that of the cavernous body, and 

 second, to avoid the hemorrhage, which is especially liable to take 

 place in horses, on accoimt of the abundant circulation in the 

 erectile tissues. 



The animal if to be placed in the recumbent position, as in the 

 operation for castration, that is, on the left side ; or it may prove 

 advantageous to place him on his back. 



Five modes of operation are described by different writers on 

 the subject — 1st, the ligature; 2d, cauterization; 3d, excision; 

 4th, by scraping; and 5th, by crushing. 



As an adjunct to the various instruments which these different 

 operations may require, metalhc catheters are also necessary. 



The Ligature. — The catheter being introduced into the urethra, 

 beyond the point where the amputation is to be made, a strong 

 ligature is applied at that point and tightened sufficiently, if pos- 

 sible, to strangulate the portion of the penis which is to be 

 removed. After from twenty-four to forty-eight hours, the 

 external layers of the tissues will have become mortified, even to 

 a certain depth in the penis, and a new ligature is then appUed, 

 and strongly tied like the first one. The deeper layers of the 

 penis are also, after a day or two longer, so mortified that they 

 continue attached to the tissues above the Hgature only by a 

 small particle, which can be divided with the knife. The catheter 

 may then be removed or it may be allowed to remain in place a 

 few days longer. No special subsequent treatment is required. 

 If, after a few days, micturation seems to become difficult, the 

 urethral opening may be enlarged by the introduction of a bougie 



