CAS TRA TION OF CR YPTORCHID HORSES. 137 



or a small mass of fine threads (tail of epididymus) which 

 roll freely between the thumb and finger and give- a sensa- 

 tion which is unlike that produced by any other tissue in 

 the body. Grasp the part firmly and tearing through the 

 peritoneum seize the vas deferens and carefully draw it out 

 through the external wound. (In teaching cryptorchid 

 castration to the beginner we make our opening down to 

 the internal ring and grasp the vas deferens between the 

 thumb and finger without penetrating the peritioneal cavit3' 

 and then passing a pair of long uterine dressing forceps 

 along the hand, fasten them upon the vas deferens. The 

 student then completes the operation, using the forceps as 

 a guide. He thus learns the direction and character of the 

 parts and recognizes the internal ring with the peritoneum 

 still stretched across it, intact. ) 



In case the vas deferens can not be felt before rupturing 

 the peritoneum, it may be broken through with the index 

 finger and inserting this into the cavity the gubernaculum 

 is found attached to the postero-external border of the ring, 

 and but a short distance therefrom the finger comes in con- 

 tact with the vas deferens or with the tail of the epididymus 

 where the gubernaculum crosses it at E, in Plate XXI. Hav- 

 ing reached the vas deferens the operation is proceeded with 

 as above. Thus far the operator has hot concerned himself 

 with the location of the testicle but relies wholly upon the 

 vas deferens or gubernaculum, since when either of these 

 are recognized the testicle is virtually within his power. 

 He thus proceeds upon the basis that he is not to Jind the 

 testicle for the reason that it is not lost but that it has de- 

 finite relations and attachments which permit of certain 

 displacements of the organ itself but not of its attachments. 

 Having drawn the vas deferens out through the wound 

 tension is exerted upon it which tends to cause the testicle 

 to follow but sometimes the gland is too large to pass the 

 internal ring and the latter needs to be dilated some by 



