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considerable period, and in some districts has much extended 

 during the last few years. 



The effects of dehorning depend entirely upon the extent of 

 the amputation. If the tip only of the horn is removed, the 

 pain produced is insignificant, and in fact is nil where the section 

 does not impinge upon the sensitive structures, but the lower 

 down the section extends the greater the suffering manifestly 

 becomes, its intensity increasing with the increase in the diame- 

 ter of the organ. Granted that the actual proportion of sensi- 

 tive to non-sensitive structures is comparatively small, the 

 delicate layer of the corium lying between the bone and the 

 horn is probably the most highly sensitive and most vascular of 

 all the tissues of the body. 



That pain is produced in the ordinary process of dehorning 

 is shown by the fact that the operator requires to effectually 

 secure his victim in order to carry out his purpose, and by the 

 further fact that the animal frequently bellows and makes 

 violent efforts to release itself from its bonds. The pain is prob- 

 ably less when the operation is performed with a fine-toothed 

 saw than it is when the horn is removed by the shears, and in 

 reference to the use of the latter, I know of one instance in which 

 the operator — a veterinary surgeon I am sorry to say — received 

 severe injuries to his ribs by the handles being driven violently 

 against his side. 



That parts of the horns are highly sensitive, especially to 

 concussion, is evidenced by the fact that a smart stroke inflicted 

 on the horn with a stick, or a blow from a stone, causes the 

 injured animal to turn its head to one side and shake it in a 

 ' melancholy fashion for some time, and in some instances the 

 animal appears to be half stunned (dazed, Scotland) and fre- 

 quently have operators in Scotland acknowledge this when I 

 have questioned them anent the effects of dehorning. 



Hemorrhage always takes place to a greater or less extent, 

 and it is in some instances profuse, so much so that great diffi- 

 culty is experienced in its arrest. The method of arresting 

 hemorrhage usually adopted is the actual cautery, the use of 



