206 USE OF TORSION IN THE CASTRATION OF THE HORSE. 
and cruel use of the actual cautery in castration, I determined 
to give the forceps a fair trial on the first opportunity that pre¬ 
sented itself. I have now had recourse to torsion three times in 
castrating the horse, and with more success than I could even 
anticipate—I send you an account of them. 1 believe they will 
be the first cases of the kind placed upon record; and I trust 
that a perusal of them will stimulate my brethren to abjure, as 
far as they can, the barbarous usages of the farrier, and assimilate 
their practice, as much as the structure and physiology of the 
animals will permit, to that of the human surgeon. 
CASE I. 
Nov, 14:th, 1834.—I was requested by Mr. Geale, job-master, 
of Regent Street, London, to castrate a colt eighteen months old. 
Before I commenced the operation I expressed my wish to use 
the torsion forceps instead of the cautery, to which Mr. G. im¬ 
mediately consented. The colt was cast and secured in the 
usual manner, and I made my incision through the scrotum, 
dartos muscle, and tunica vaginalis. I then divided the vas 
deferens and cellular membrane, immediately above the epi¬ 
didymis, leaving nothing attached to the testicle but the sper¬ 
matic artery and vein. I then took the torsion forceps and 
applied them as tight as possible, after the clams had been placed 
on the chord about three inches from the epididymis in the 
usual manner, and the testicle was cut off. The forceps were 
turned eight or nine times, and held firmly for four or five 
minutes, when the chord was suffered to return gradually into 
the abdomen. I waited five minutes, and no hemorrhage en¬ 
suing, I operated in the same manner on the other testicle. The 
colt was then let up, and only the trifling quantity of blood 
which is usually discharged by the scrotal vessels was lost. 
16th and 16^^.—No swelling, pulse 38. I ordered mashes 
and green meat, if it could be procured, otherwise a small quan¬ 
tity of hay. 
17/h to 20th .—No untoward circumstance. A little healthy 
discharge from the scrotum, which was directed to be kept clean. 
26th .—Doing well. Turned out. 
CASE II. 
A colt, two years and a half old, rather too much encumbered 
with flesh. I deemed it necessary to reduce him a little before 
the operation. When duly prepared, he was operated upon in 
the same way. Very little swelling appeared after the castration, 
and the animal did exceedingly well. 
