5.25 
OBSERVATIONS ON CASTRATION. 
By John Biietherton, M.R.C.V.S., Calcutta. 
Having held the appointment of veterinary surgeon to 
the Calcutta commissioners for a considerable period, I have 
had numerous opportunities of studying the diseases of cattle, 
and likewise of ponies. The former numbers 259^ the latter 
245. The ponies purchased are all stallions, and they are often 
most troublesome to break to harness. I find, however, that 
castration, in most cases, has the desired effect. I would, 
however, bring to your notice a vicious subject, whom, as for 
some months he could not be made to go in harness, I decided 
on cutting, and in rather a novel way. I commenced the 
operation by making a longitudinal incision about half an 
inch in length, along the course of the cord, as near to the 
abdominal parietes as possible, and then, by inserting the 
fore finger of my right hand, I drew out the cord, divided the 
vas deferens, and removed about an inch of the duct. Little 
or no haemorrhage took place, but the testicles were slightly 
swollen for a few days,after which they gradually became atro¬ 
phied. The pony has never shown any vicious symptoms 
since the operation, and is now working quietly every day. 
I should be glad if you would make a few remarks on this 
operation, as I believe horses may be castrated in a far 
simpler manner than by the plan now in vogue. As most 
of the horses in this country are entire, any suggestion on the 
subject ought to be welcome to veterinary practitioners, as 
hernia, hydrocele, emission of semen, and all diseases inci¬ 
dental to the existence of the testicles, are most rife in this 
tropical climate. 
REMARKS BY PROFESSOR VARNELL. 
Various modes are practised for the purpose of emascu¬ 
lating the horse and other domestic animals, and each plan, 
in the opinion of him who adopts it, is, almost as a matter of 
course, thought to be the best and safest. The most common 
method pursued, perhaps, in this country is, after removing 
the testicle from the scrotum, to sever it from the cord with 
a hot iron. Another plan, and probably the next most 
common is, after the gland and cord are laid bare, to place 
the latter very tightly in a pair of wooden clams —caustic 
clams”—viz., a small quantity of caustic is enclosed in a 
groove in the centre of each clam. 
O 
