251 
ETIOLOGY OF SCIRRHOUS CORD, ETC. 
hard day’s work; the cord then inflames, the animal becomes 
lame, stiff, feverish, and unfit for work, and will occasionally re¬ 
main in this condition for several weeks after the abscesses have 
discharged their contents.” 
Prof. Liautard, in his work, “ Animal Castration,” refers to 
the causes of champignon as follows : 
“ The causes from which it originates are obscure, and cannot 
be very well defined; still, they maybe arranged under the head¬ 
ing of any of the morbific causes which may excite an excess of 
inflammatory action at the end of the cord. Amongst these may 
be enumerated all violent tractions upon the cord at the time of 
the operation; all unnecessary manipulations during the process 
of cicatrization, such as the too frequent introduction of the 
finger into the wound with destruction of the granulations already 
adherent to the cord, and the application of the appliances for its 
division too low down upon it, leaving that organ hanging too 
much, and the retraction of the organ being insufficient to retain 
it in the inguinal sac; still, as a champignon may be developed in 
the absence of all these causes, it would seem that their growth 
may be attributed also to some specific idiosyncrasy in the animal 
affected, the true nature of which cannot be very accurately or 
easily understood. 
“ It is held, however, by certain German and Russian authors, 
that exposure to cold exercises a great deal of influence in the 
development of this affection, and observation has largely estab¬ 
lished the fact of its greater prevalence during cold seasons.” 
In regard to abscesses of the scrotum, Prof. Liautard says: 
“ When these are likely to result from a too rapid closure of 
the edges of the scrotal envelope, the premature union may be 
readily prevented, as we have before stated, by the careful intro¬ 
duction of the finger into the wound while it is still suppurating. 
“ But notwithstanding this precaution, they will sometimes oc¬ 
cur as the result of the infiltration and accumulation of the sup¬ 
purative matter. A free incision and proper attention to the cav¬ 
ity of the abscess is all that this accident requires. 
“A careful examination of the parts will, however, reveal 
another cause for the formation of these abscesses. It is, then, 
