I 
CASTRATION OF THE HORSE. 
619 
extant been practised by myself with good results, while the 
other is the method described by Frick in an article on “ Cas- 
tration under Antiseptic Precautions,” in the Journal of Veter¬ 
inary Medicine and Comparative Pathology (Deutshc) with cer¬ 
tain suggested improvements by Dr. W. L. Williams, of 
Bloomington, Ill. 
To ligate the cord with the animal standing, the testicle is 
grasped with the left hand and with a needle in the right a 
catgut ligature passed through the cord immediately posterior 
to the spermatic artery and close up to the cut edges of the 
tunica vaginalis reflexa. The ligature is then tied around the 
anterior portion of the cord sufficiently tight to compress the 
spermatic artery, but not necessarily tight enough to cause 
necrosis of that part of the cord inclosed. There being no 
danger of the ligature slipping, the cord may be cut through 
close up to it and the testicle thus removed. The same after- 
treatment is pursued as when the testicle has been removed 
with the ecraseur. 
Another method of operating, which can only be pursued 
with the animal in a recumbent position, will be given as de¬ 
scribed by Frick, with those modifications which to my mind 
seem desirable. 
The scrotum and surrounding parts are thoroughly washed 
and disinfected. The testicle is exposed, with as small an in¬ 
cision in the enveloping membranes as possible, and imme¬ 
diately douched with a sublimate solution—i to 1000 or 2000. 
Frick then applies a silk ligature around a portion of the cord 
in a very bungling manner, but it is suggested that a carbol- 
ized catgut ligature be applied around the whole cord well 
above the epididymis and the testicle removed with a knife or 
pair of scissors. He then thoroughly washes the scrotal 
wound with the sublimate solution, which I would suggest 
might with advantage be supplimented by a thorough dust¬ 
ing with iodoform. The wound is then closed with silk 
sutures, as used by Frick, or preferably with catgut as sug¬ 
gested by Williams, in such a manner as to include the tunica 
vaginalis reflexa. As after-treatment he recommends as nearly 
perfect quietude as possible, and it appears to me that if the 
