580 
THE ACCIDENTS FOLLOWING CASTRATION. 
and the vessels yet adhere to the part of the spermatic cord that 
was compressed by the clams, the cord should, if possible, be 
drawn out, in order to discover the vessel, and sieze it with a 
curved needle armed with strong thread. When the extremity 
of the cord has been torn off and the vessels are retracted, or 
when cellulo- vascular buds appear and form a mass under which 
the vessels are concealed, and, finally, when there are no means 
of applying a ligature, we have recourse to the plugging up of 
the wound, by introducing into it some amadou or sponge, and 
retaining it there by one or two sutures. The cauterization 
which is sometimes attempted, whether by the hot iron only, or 
by* burning over the orifice whence the blood proceeds some 
rasped horn, or any thing that can produce an immediate eschar — 
these are means generally insufficient, and often dangerous. 
The hemorrhage soon returns, and with increased violence, after 
the fall of the eschar, or considerable engorgement is the con- 
sequence of such an operation. 
4. Tetanus . — This is a very serious disease following castra- 
tion. It may appear before or after suppuration is established. 
It may be produced by many causes; but the exposure to cold 
air, or suspension of the suppuration, or work resorted to in 
order to bring on the suppuration, are the most frequent causes. 
5. Hernia . — The escape of the intestine through the opening in 
the tunica vaginalis is, fortunately, a rare consequence of castra- 
tion, for it is always a most serious case. Sometimes the intes- 
tine presents itself while the horse is in the hobbles ; at other 
times it dos not appear until he has got up. This hernia may 
be produced by the struggles to which a horse of an ardent and 
irritable temperament frequently abandons himself. It may also 
result from violent and progressive pressure on the vaginal tunic, 
before the operation. In order to avoid this accident in irritable 
horses, recourse should be had to the covered operation. If 
hernia should occur, an attempt should immediately be made to 
return the intestines. The animal should be cast, and fixed as 
for the operation of strangulated hernia. Without untying or 
taking oft’ the clams, and only holding them on one side, an 
attempt should be made, gently and carefully, to replace the 
intestine in the abdomen. If the operator* is fortunate enough 
to be enabled to return it, it should be retained by sutures passed 
through the integument and all the divided membranes. This 
will often produce a sudden swelling of the parts, and sufficient 
to prevent a new descent of the intestine. 
When the intestine cannot be thus returned, but the pro- 
truded portion is long, red, and tumid, the clam must be re- 
moved. In order to effect this, a piece of string, or waxed 
