CASTRATION OF THE HORSE. 
617 
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can be grasped much more easily than when he is tied in such 
a manner as to render tense the skin in the external inguinal 
region. But if the gland can be only felt and not grasped, as 
is frequently the case in both methods of operating, it can be 
as readily secured by one method as the other, by making the 
incision through the skin and dartos and introducing the fin¬ 
gers into the opening of the external inguinal ring. Another 
objection frequentl}' given against this method of operating is 
that if hernia occurs, the animal must be thrown. Bearing in 
mind the rarity of this complication, that as before stated it 
is not likely to occur, and that if it does, a “ suspensory ” may 
be applied and the animal thrown, this fancied objection ap¬ 
pears somewhat absurd, especially when it is remembered that 
even where the animal is thrown hernia is seldom observed 
until he is allowed to rise. 
Having decided upon the standing operation the first step 
is to secure the animal. To do this he must first be “ haltered,” 
if, as is frequently the case in the West, this part of his early 
education has been neglected. If a rope, arranged with a slip- 
loop at one end, be thrown over his head and the other end 
fastened to a post, or held by two assistants, a slight choking 
is usuallv sufficient to induce him to allow a halter to be 
placed on his head and a ring-twitch ” * on his upper lip. 
When the twitch has been twisted sufficiently tight the “ tie- 
strap ’’ is to be passed through the ring and the head secured 
to the manger, or a post, or held by an assistant. If the right 
side of the animal can be placed against some firm object, it 
will be found advantageous, but it is not essential. 
The animal now being secured, the scrotum and contigu¬ 
ous parts should be well washed with a sublimate solution—i 
to 500 or 1000—and special care taken that the hands of the 
operator and all instruments to be used are rendered thor¬ 
oughly aseptic by washing in a similar solution. 
* A ring-twitch, as you are probably already aware, consists of an iron ring 
about five inches in diameter, in which is tied a rope of sufficient length to encir¬ 
cle the upper lip. Its advantages are that it can be conveniently carried in an or¬ 
dinary operating case and that if, when adjusted, the tie-strap on the halter be 
passed through it, an unruly horse can be examined and even minor operations 
performed without an assistant. 
