392 
ON THE CASTRATION OF MILCH COWS. 
10 Ihly. That, in the case of isolated enzootic and epizootic 
sheep -pox, the fleeces of animals of the ovine species undergo 
more or less alteration, and, as a consequence, become diminished 
in value. 
11 thly, and lastly, That the sanitary measures prescribed by law, 
and the sanitary regulations, independently of being found trou- 
blesome and onerous by farmers, prove, in many instances, insuffi- 
cient to arrest the progress and limit the ravages of sheep-pox in 
the epizootic form. 
On the Castration of Milch Cows. 
[From the Recueil de M 4 decine V 4 t£rinaire for January 1848 .] 
In spite of the numerous experiments instituted for the pur- 
pose of shewing the advantages of castrating milch cows, it is an 
operation still but little practised in France. Nor are we to be 
surprised at it. In a matter like this, to convince people, it is not 
opinions, but examples, the results of many years of experience, 
that are wanting, to demonstrate the innocuousness and advantages 
of this new method of rendering the bovine female subservient to 
the production of milk, and of meat for the butcher. 
It is to be regretted that, for the twenty years this secret has 
been brought to light, the application and practical worth of it 
should have been left to isolated experimentalists to determine. 
The results of their labours, notwithstanding the ability and good 
faith they bear the character of, can never have the same weight 
with the public as experiments followed up with regularity and 
perseverance by the orders and under the direction of that supe- 
rior administration (of Government) who alone possess credit for 
denial and disinterestedness. 
It is the duty of the administration to make trial in France of 
the naturalization of that neutral variety of domestic females, 
sterile for breeding, but, according to what experimentalists say, 
fecund and so valuable for the production of milk, and which 
according to our honourable colleague, M. Levrat, of Lausanne, 
who, of all others, has thrown most light on the subject, will 
besides enjoy, by virtue of the operation, a sort of immunity 
against the attacks of contagious pneumonia, the cause, at the 
present day, of so much desolation and ruin among the dairy- 
keepers. 
If these results were true, the benefits their demonstration 
would diffuse would abundantly repay any sacrifices the state 
might make to obtain it. In the contrary case, the question would 
