ANIMAL CASTRATION. 95 



to a cyst, it will be brought down or punctured as 

 already described. 



Fourth Step. — Ablation. — This is done with the 

 ecraseur, by torsion or by excision after ligature. 

 Very generally the testicle can be drawn to the infe- 

 rior inguinal ring; in some subjects the length of the 

 cord is such that the testicle can be pulled down as 

 low as the leg ; in others this section has to be made 

 within the tract. The ecraseur is ordinarily used, 

 the amputation being made slowly and a little above 

 the epididymis. 



Dressing. — The wound is washed with antiseptic 

 care and irrigated with solution of sublimate. 



When it is certain that the abdomen has been 

 opened sufficiently high so that the inguinal tract is 

 tightly closed at its apex, no dressing or suture need 

 be applied. Simply cleaning the wound, irrigating 

 with sublimate solution, dusting with iodoform, are 

 only necessary. However, to avoid infection, a tem- 

 porary cutaneous suture is indicated. 



If there is danger of intestinal protrusion, a plug 

 of aseptic gauze is introduced in the inguinal canal, 

 pushed not too high up to prevent the adaptation of 

 the muscle with the crural arch ; and the cutaneous 

 wound is closed with interrupted sutures. If some 

 errors of manipulation have occurred during the 

 operation, the plug of gauze left in for 24 or 30 hours 

 may prevent complications. 



In either the Danish or Belgian method it is not 

 prudent to operate a double case of cryptorchidy at 

 one sitting. It is better to leave a space of fifteen 



