ANIMAL CASTRATION. 55 



of the ligature hanging outside of the scrotal wound, 

 and even to secure it on the edges of the skin. 



Ligation of (he spermatic artery. — ^This is a mode of 

 castration which, if we are not mistaken, was held 

 in high estimation by certain practitioners in the 

 city of Boston. It consists simply in the application 

 of a ligature of silk to the spermatic artery. Tbe 

 cord being exposed, and the posterior septum being 

 divided, a curved needle armed with the ligature is 

 made to pass around the whole mass of the anterior 

 fasciculus, and the entire vascular cord is surrounded 

 by the ligature and jirmly tightened. The fact of 

 the various and irregular flexuosities peculiar to the 

 spermatic artery, with both ascending and descend- 

 ing portions, explains the necessity of including the 

 entire arterial mass under the ligature, since, if only 

 ilhe simple cord of the artery were ligated, it might 

 Ibe an ascending iiortiou onl}', and the amputation of 

 l;he testicle might be followed by a troublesome 

 hemorrhage from one of the descending loops. 



Ligation of the efferent ccuud ctnd tJte subcutaneous li- 

 gation of the cord. — These two modes of operating 

 have not yet yielded sufficient evidence in the form 

 of satisfactory results to be entitled to more than 

 passing mention at the present time. We may say 

 further, moreover, that among all the methods of 

 castration by ligation, none of them have been sub- 

 jected to a sufficient amount of practical test to b& 

 accepted as a process which will justify a strong rec 

 ommendation or unciualified ajaprovaL 



