EFFECTS OF CASTRATION. 
668 
and in rapid motion were not drawn up, but swung backwards 
and forwards in a relaxed condition. I think the animal had 
been in training as a’ racer. 
On examination, I found the testes enlarged, the cord hard 
and thickened, and slight effusion into the scrotum. There was 
little or no tenderness, and the case was evidently chronic. I 
hesitated not to operate, but pointed out the diseased condition 
of the testes, and the probability of some longer period than 
ordinary being requisite to enable him to resume work ; also a 
risk of supervening disease. He had a preparatory purge, and 
on casting him 1 found my prognosis correct. The effusion was 
not great : an ounce or two of serous fluid escaped from each 
sac, but the testes were adhered to their adjacent tunic by 
cords similar to the chordae tendinese, and the spermatic cord 
itself was hard and cartilaginous. I operated in the usual 
manner : the patient was allowed to rise, and all went on well 
for about ten days, suppuration had been established, and I was 
in no care for my patient, when I perceived the scrotum (which 
from having been primarily much swollen and reduced) become 
again swollen and thickened ; and on examination of the near 
side I found a morbid growth of some magnitude from the cord, 
and, this continuing rapidly to increase in size, he was again 
cast, the scrotum freely laid open, the fungus enclosed in clams 
as near the ring as possible, and removed by the cautery : the 
base of the tumour and the side of the scrotum afterwards being 
cauterized, a profuse suppuration and sloughing followed, but 
the morbid growth again went on. Three several times was 
this treatment repeated, and growths as large as a cricket-ball 
removed. I must mention, that I endeavoured to apply ligature, 
but was unable, from the obtuse character of the tumour, to get 
it to remain so high up as I could remove it with the cautery. 
After the scrotum had been well opened, and finding the tend- 
ency to morbid deposit was gaining on my practice, I admi- 
nistered mercurial alteratives, made an examination per rectum, 
but failed to detect any tumour internally. The appetite was 
good, but the horse was getting thin and emaciated. The 
scrotum was plugged around the morbid parts with bichloride of 
mercury, confined in moist tow, in fine powder, and repeated as 
soon as a slough had been effected. An immense quantity of 
morbid growth was thus from time to time removed, and by 
steady perseverance for about two months the whole was 
sloughed away, and, no further tendency to deposition appearing, 
the scrotum was allowed to heal. I was frequently obliged to 
lay open the scrotum, as the orifice became in a few days so 
contracted that the finger could be scarcely introduced. An 
occasional laxative was given, and alteratives of calomel and 
