422 
ON DIVISION OF THE VAS DEFERENS. 
The discussion was on chronic enlargement of the testicle. 
After some excellent remarks on the nature, causes, and treatment 
of this complaint, Mr. Lambert, in conclusion, called the atten¬ 
tion of the Society to the proposition of dividing the vas deferens, 
in lieu of castration. From experiments which he had instituted 
on dogs, he had found, that by tying the duct, by simply divid¬ 
ing it, or removing a portion, absorption of the testicle ensued. 
He was not prepared to say in what diseases of the human testicle 
this particular operation was applicable; but it might certainly be 
employed as a substitute for castration on the horse, a most dan¬ 
gerous operation. Mr. Lambert said, that his attention had been 
directed to the subject by Mr. J. Morgan, subsequently to which, 
he found that the operation of dividing the seminal duct had 
once been performed on the human subject, in a case of disease 
of the testicle, and that absorption of the gland had ensued. He 
was not aware of the precise nature of the disease, but the whole 
of the cord, if he recollected rightly, was divide'd. It had been 
stated that a division of the arteries of the chord was sufficient to 
produce absorption of the testes; on this point, however, he had 
made no experiments. 
Mr. Holmes said, that he had, with a pair of scissars, cut 
through each spermatic cord of a male cat, and the consequence * 
had been, that the testicles were nearly wasted away, and the 
animal was entirely deprived of generative powers, and of sexual 
appetency. 
Mr. Kingdon remarked, that he could not see in what cases of 
disease the operation would be beneficial. As a substitute for cas¬ 
tration in animals, he thought the idea highly ingenious, and, if 
substantiated by further experiments, worthy of general adoption. 
Mr. Callaway inquired whether excruciating pain was not pro¬ 
duced in tying the vas deferens of the dog ; he had remarked, that 
during the operation of castration, in laying hold of the vas de¬ 
ferens, in order to secure its artery, the patient always experienced 
great pain, and this apparently independent of the nerves by which 
it is surrounded. 
Mr. Pearson said, that in the year 1814 he had performed the 
operation alluded to upon an old stallion : the result was, that the 
testes wasted, and the animal totally lost his sexual appetency, 
at the same time losing many of the external physical diameters 
of the male. Since this opemtion was perfonned, he had sub¬ 
mitted two young asses to a similar procedure, and the results 
were the same. 
We offer these remarks to the serious consideration of our 
brethren, and entreat the communication of their experience on 
the subject. 
