CASTRATION IN INDIA. 
523 
9. The skin not having been cut or injured, the horse is 
not annoyed by flies, as in the case when castration by the 
knife has been followed. 
]0. In conclusion, I might say that the operation is so 
easily performed, that any one, by assisting for two or three 
times, can become an able operator himself. 
(Signed) T. Tapp, Major, 
Commanding Poona Irregular Horse. 
Seroor, February 24 , 1854 . 
(Signed) J. Hale, Lieutenant-Colonel, 
Deputy Adj-Gen. of the Army. 
G. A. Leckie, Captain, 
Officiating Major of Brigade. 
E. A. Hardy, Lieutenant, 
Officiating Line Adjutant. 
Camp, Neemuch, May 10, 1854. 
Sir, — With reference to a letter. No. 1339, dated 15th 
March, 1854, wdth accompanying statement of a method of 
castration from the Deputy-Adjutant-General of the Army, I 
have the honour to state, that after an attentive perusal of the 
statement, I cannot advocate the plan therein recommended. 
It is a plan which has been from time immemorial in vogue 
with the natives of this country in castrating bulls, but it pos- 
sesses no advantages over the recognised method of castration ; 
on the contrary, I am of opinion, from the unnecessary 
severity, it renders the operator guilty of uncalled-for cruelty. 
The torture undergone by the animal during the operation 
must be frightful, and the effects, from nature endeavouring 
to heal the lacerated and remove the disorganised tissues, 
must in themselves prove occasionally injurious, though 
appearing at some time after the event, they might by non- 
professional persons be attributed to some other than the 
right cause. 
Major Tapp’s sowars or salustrees, upon whose report no 
doubt the statement originated, ignorant of the anatomy of 
the parts, must be alike unacquainted with the intense pain 
they inflict, and which it is the duty of any educated vete- 
rinary surgeon to avoid to the utmost of his ability ; also with 
the causes of certain consequences which I have hinted 
at above, which they would not think of mentioning to 
Major Tapp, being ignorant themselves how they proceeded, 
