CASTRATION. 
89 
There are many instruments in use at this time with which 
to perform this operation, for my own part I much prefer the 
“House clamp” and “Miles ecraseur” as they are called, hav¬ 
ing used them so long, I suppose I am prejudiced in their 
favor. 
Many methods are employed for the purpose of securing the 
animals for the operation. The English hobbles, the side lines, 
the back strap, and in fact, a dozen other kinds of hobbles ; each 
having its adherents and advocates. I have used them all, and 
I shall not question their opinions, or give any reasons why 
they should not be used in this operation, but I shall refer to 
one method of securing an animal that I think possesses many 
advantages over any other that I ever employed (particularly, 
one namely), that is it exposes the whole inguinal region, and 
places the hind feet and limbs of the animal in such a position, 
that there is no interference whatever with the operator, and 
when used for the reduction of a hernia, the removal of a scir¬ 
rhous cord or the castration of a ridgling is preferable to any I 
have ever used. I think also, it is least likely to be accom¬ 
panied with complications of the breaking of the back or limbs, 
while casting or keeping the animal in confinement. 
In ridgling castration it is an indispensable method. It con¬ 
sists of a combination of several kinds of hobbles, namely : a 
strap around the neck to which the rope is attached, as with the 
side line, the back-strap with rings underneath it, through which 
the rope passes, and four foot or small hobbles, one on each 
foot, and about sixty feet of rope. I have cast animals by this 
method for twenty-five years or more, and never had but two 
accidents in that time that I could claim were the fault of cast¬ 
ing, one was a broken back, another was a broken femur, a 
third accident a ruptured blood-vessel, as a result of casting, 
would have occurred with any kind of hobbles. I shall refer to 
it later on. 
I have also had other accidents happen from casting horses, 
but none when I had used the hobbles referred to above. I 
have no doubt many of you are familiar with this manner of 
