28 



CASTRATION OF CRYPTORCIIID HORSES. 



veins are frequently much dilated, and have on more than one 

 occasion been mistaken for testicle, and even cut into ; injury 

 to them is followed by a profuse hjemorrhage, which is very 

 difficult to stop, and may even be fatal. '^ The best method 

 of avoiding- this is to prick the skin carefully with a 

 scalpel, and complete the incision with the aid of a director. 

 When once the skin is cut through, the tissues are pulled 

 apart and the remainder of the operation is done by the 



Fig. 8. 



Shewing .site of incision witli an abdominal testicle ready for removal l>y the ecraseur. 

 The chain of the latter lies in the surgical wound. 



fingers, without again having recourse to the knife. Making 

 sure again that the hand is thoroughly clean, the fingers 

 are all put together in as small a space as possible in 

 the shape of a wedge, and carefully rotated past the large veins 

 into the inguinal canal. This is explored, and if the testicle 

 is present it is grasped and withdrawn. Care must be taken 

 not to unconsciously pass the testicle by or to remove an 

 inguinal lymphatic by mistake.- Sometimes the epididymis is 



1 ".Journal of Comparative Pathology and Therapeutics," December 1900. Appendix, 

 Case .50. 



See Appendi.K, Cases 4 and 77. 



