CASTRATION. 
529 
When they are the size of a hen or duck’s egg, and have a some- 
what smaller pedicle, and protrude through the edges of the 
wound, and the cord is only a little engorged, it is easy to ampu- 
tate them. For this purpose the animal must be secured as for 
castration : the wound must be slightly enlarged, in order that 
the fungus may be brought down ; a hollow clam, into which a little 
corrosive sublimate has been put, must be fastened round the 
root: and on the second or third day the clam may be removed, 
and the fungus cut away without any danger of hemorrhage. 
The ligature is sometimes used in these cases with consider- 
able success, and especially when the fungus is large, and when 
it is accompanied by swelling of a portion of the cord itself, which 
will not permit the application of the clam sufficiently low, or 
which prevents the remaining portion of the cord from being 
handled. When the ligature is resorted to, the horse must be 
thrown as for the application of the clam — the tumour brought 
out and exposed — and then a waxed twine must be passed round 
the cord, above the substance of the fungus, and sufficiently tight 
to interrupt the circulation. A second piece of twine should be 
placed above this, and secured with the knot used in bleeding. 
The ends of the cord must be so contrived as to be near each 
other, in order to be twisted when the suppuration is established, 
or the operator wishes to procure the fall of the tumour. 
Some veterinarians attach a ring of lead to their ligature, by 
means of which they can twist it tighter every day. 
The inflammatory swelling of the cord often terminates in 
scirrhus. This seldom exists alone, but is almost always ac- 
companied by the fungous growths just spoken of. It is on this 
account that both of these states of the cord are confounded 
under the name of champignon. In this case the tumefaction 
extends along the cord as high as the sublumbar region, which 
may be ascertained by raking the horse. The cord becomes hard — 
it increases in size — it contracts adhesions with the neighbouring 
parts — and sometimes forms a cancerous mass from the original 
wound unto the sub-lumbar region. The vessels likewise become 
inflamed, and increase in volume. At length the cord begins to 
soften at different points of its extent. The animal evidently 
suffers a great deal of pain — he is continually standing — the 
lameness increases day by day — the flank is drawn up and 
corded — the discharge from the part increases the irritation — the 
horse falls rapidly away, and a continued fever conducts him 
to marasmus and death. 
In robust and healthy horses, enlargements of a scirrhous 
appearance sometimes are found, which disappear in process of 
time (from six to twelve months) by means of an abundant sup- 
vol. ix. 4 a 
