436 
DIFFERENT METHODS OF CASTRATION. 
epididymis and greater pressure is, of course, necessary, as the 
vaginal covering is included in the clam. 
In this way I performed the operation on the horse alluded to: 
he was seven years old, and I was called to operate on him chiefly 
on account of disease of the genital organs, or, perhaps, passions 
I should say, for he was in the habit of making several seminal 
emissions in the course of the twenty-four hours, and was much de¬ 
bilitated in consequence. The testicles I left hanging under the 
clams. The horse did remarkably well, never refused his meat, 
and, in fact, was in better condition at the end of three weeks 
than he was in at the time of operating. On the third day, the 
testicles being of a dark colour, and disorganization having evidently 
taken place, I gently detached the clams, having first cut through 
the cord at about half an inch below the clam : suppuration esta¬ 
blished itself shortly, and I never saw an animal do better under 
the operation. My French friend exacted that the horse should 
be walked night and morning for an hour at least; and although 
the rationale of this practice is not so easily determined, yet, 
knowing it to be an invariable practice abroad, I have always 
adhered to it. 
In Russia, horses are usually cut previously to their commen¬ 
cing a journey of some distance : I have known perhaps two hun¬ 
dred at a certain period removed from one large stud to another, or 
brought down to St. Petersburgh : the operation is generally per¬ 
formed previously to setting out, and they are made to travel a 
certain distance night and morning, till the journey is accom¬ 
plished. At the fair in Caen, the horses, after castration as I 
have mentioned, are in the same way travelled, by short stages 
liight and morning, to Paris, their owners being in the habit of 
taking ofi’ the clams themselves. Nothing can be simpler than 
the performance of the covered or uncovered operation. The clams 
being of a right length and breadth, properly secured, with a 
sufficient degree of pressure, well placed upon the cord, not too high 
so as to produce tension, nor so low as to include the epididymis, 
are circumstances that appear to me to require the most of our 
attention. On young horses, three or foui’ years old, I had an 
opportunity of witnessing the operation performed on a great 
number, by simply scraping through the spermatic cord with a 
sharp scalpel; the testicle being exposed, was laid hold of by an 
assistant, while the operator scraped slowly and carefully through 
the spermatic cord. 
I also saw the operation performed on horses of the same age 
by twisting the testicle off: this was effected by the operator 
taking the cord between a pair of small clams, at some distance 
