CASTRATION BY TORSION. 
579 
danger, not to mention the length of time afterwards the 
animals are left in a state of convalescence. 
M. Dillon himself confesses to having lost, between the 
years 1827 and 1830, before entering the army, out of about 
twenty horses he cut with the (wooden) clams, at the age from 
2 to 3 years, the best horse among them by gangrene (for 
which he had a call on him for 1500 francs), six or seven 
were affected with champignons , while the others, after two or 
three months, in the end recovered. About the same time 
a practitioner well known, whose name I refrain to mention, 
castrated 30 fine Norman horses, destined for the regiments 
of La Garde Royale, and he had the mortification to see them 
all disappear in eight or ten days after the operation. This 
unfortunate result, which, at the time, produced a sensation, 
it was that, added to a long list of similar misfortunes 
happening from day to day, afterwards produced the order 
which was issued, and is in force at the present day, to the 
remount depots against the reception of entire horses.* 
Since this order, have operations for castration undergone 
any change, and is that with the clams (of compression) the 
one that succeeds the best ? **' Eh, mon Dieu, non \" On all 
sides no question is entertained about its insuccess. Are the 
other methods formerly in use to be preferred? Not at all, 
unless it be the ligature , which is recommended for the very 
young or for small animals. What means then are we to 
adopt in place of these former operations. Here lies the great 
difficulty, or, as the English say, “ that is the question ” And 
that has been the question, even from the time of Lafosse, 
who, himself broken-hearted at seeing castration productive 
so often of unhappy results, felt desirous of learning whether 
it would not be preferable to simply at once cut off, with a 
bistoury, the whole testicular apparatus altogether. 
In the course of the year 1829* practising veterinary medi- 
cine at the time at Cholet [Maine-et- Loire), with the appoint- 
ment of inspector of the butchery of the town, I was in the 
latter capacity sent for to a farm to examine a sheep 
which had but three legs, the fourth, a fore limb, having been, 
during the night, torn off by a wolf who had paid a visit to 
the fold. The sheep was destroyed ; but it was curious to 
see how the limb had been torn off the body, and that the 
operation seemed to have been performed much more cleverly 
* We certainly manage these affairs in England better than this. The early 
age at which we castrate our horses, and the adept manner in which the operation 
is performed by the country gelders (for about 5.?.), leaves in general very little 
cause for regret. At the same time, it would be worth while to know what, 
with us, really is the per centagc of loss. — Ed. Vet. 
