WHAT IS THE BEST MODE OE CASTRATION } 497 
the evidence which is brought before us. The scientific men 
are called, and they state that the right lobe of the lung and 
also a portion of the left, were disorganised for all useful 
purposes, that they had become, like liver, a close sub¬ 
stance ; and then they reason on this fact, and say that 
it began before the sale; and that it was caused by inflam¬ 
mation which had not been properly cured, and that it had 
fallen into a subacute state and deposited this matter,— 
that the irritation had gone off, and the horse appeared well. 
Certainly, gentlemen, I am only surprised that the ap¬ 
pearance of the horse was not more inconsistent with its 
diseased state. I should have thought that it would have been 
so. I cannot say it may be so, but gentlemen have sworn to 
certain facts, and there is no reason why we should disbelieve them . 
Then they say that this disease existed in a torpid, sub¬ 
acute state, and that the lungs were thereby more likely to 
become more diseased from other causes ; and that, by sym¬ 
pathy, inflammation of the bowels might be brought on. 
Here I will observe, that , whether the horse died of inflammation 
of the lungs or of the bowels , as suggested by Mr. Kent , does not 
much matter. 
I do not know that I need take up more of your time. 
There are, of course, little differences in the testimony; but 
the witnesses substantially agree as to the morbid state of 
the lungs existing before the 26th of February. It will not 
be your province to say of which disease the horse died. The ques¬ 
tion you have to determine is whether or not the horse was sound 
on the < 2Qth of February. Verdict for the plaintiff for the 
amount claimed. 
By reference to those portions of the above cases which 
we have put in italics, it will be seen that they afford not a 
shadow of precedent for the finding of the Sheriff of Aber¬ 
deen. In fact, that in every important point they contradict 
him. More upon the subject were supererogation. 
WHAT IS THE BEST MODE OF CASTRATION? 
By T. Hurford, M.R.C.V.S., 15th King’s Hussars. 
Which is the best mode of castration? If you ask this 
question of five or six men, you will probably receive as 
many different answers. I have tried the actual cautery, 
the clams, the ligature and scraping; and I prefer the last: 
it being simple, safe, and speedy. 
