432 
DIFFERENT METHOpS OF CASTRATION. 
one I shall presently call your notice to will be found to have 
superior advantages in peculiar cases. 
The operation, however practised, requires our experience to 
give' us dexterity in its performance; for there can be no doubt, 
that the less time be taken up in performing it well, the less 
pain and irritation will be created; and though this operation is, 
perhaps, oftener intrusted to the hands of men expert in it, yet 
otherwise igmorant, and who operate in a majority of instances with 
perfect success, cases will sometimes occur that exact all the talent 
of the veterinarian to conduct the animal with safety through the 
effects of the operation. 
The ignorance of the mere ‘ gelder’ will not be detected till he 
meet with some uncommon occurrence; and then it is the ana¬ 
tomical knowledge of the veterinarian becomes requisite, and is 
usefully employed to counteract the mischief of the pretender. The 
veterinary surgeon can alone be the judge if the state of the animal 
is favourable to undergo such operation, or whether he should 
resort to the necessaiy steps to prepare him for it. 
There are some precautions, says Huiirel d’Arboval, that must 
not be neglected previous to castration, for the success of the 
operation greatly depends on them. One of these is, to make 
choice of a season of the year when the temperature is most 
equable; and on this account the autumn and spring are pre¬ 
ferred. 
Care should be taken that the animal to be castrated be in 
perfect health; and should he have reached the adult period, 
which often occurs in cases that we have to operate on, either on 
account of the testicles appearing late, or from other motives, 
which have justified the delay, the greater must be our precau¬ 
tion. We should likewise keep the animal quiet a day or 
two before operation, and he should not be subjected to violent 
exertion; he should be kept on light food—mash diet; and, if of 
a plethoric habit, should always be bled previously. 
Before I conclude these preliminary remarks, I wish to secure 
attention to the necessity of taking into consideration the collateral 
circumstances which it is so necessary to weigh well in our minds 
before we either uphold or condemn any operation of whatever 
kind. 
The usual operation in this country, and which is, I believe, by 
veterinary surgeons the one most preferred, and the only one that 
is practised at our college, is by the cauteiy. 
I witnessed a great number of operations performed in this way, 
in fact I knew but little of any other, before Tvvent to Russia ; 
but I feel no hesitation in saying, that the operation performed by 
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