CASTRATION OF THE HORSE. 
623 
The only conditions essential to the fitness of an animal 
for the operation are, that he be in good health and deprived 
of food and water for twenty-four hours immediately preced¬ 
ing the operation. Medicinal treatment of an animal in good 
health, in order to better enable him to withstand the effects 
of an operation, is not in accord with the surgical science of 
our day. The point is to have the animal in good health and 
then to avoid the introduction of septic material into his 
system. 
The operator need not concern himself about the ques¬ 
tions, whether his subject be an abdominal or inguinal cryp- 
torchid, or whether the ectopias of the testicle be on the right 
or left, or both sides, until he has him thrown and securely 
tied, numerous so-called authorities to the contrary notwith¬ 
standing. All the difference between the operations for in¬ 
guinal and abdominal cryptorchidism, is that the latter ex¬ 
tends beyond the former to the extent necessary to enter the 
abdominal cavity and secure the testicle. The method of 
procedure in the former is, as far as it goes, identical with that 
in the latter, and hence it is obvious that a knowledge of the 
exact condition present comes as soon as required. 
If the side on which the cryptorchidy exists cannot be 
determined by the absence of a cicatrix, a careful manipula¬ 
tion of the parts will generally afford the desired information. 
The atrophied cord can almost always be felt where a testicle 
has been removed, but such is not always the case. At least, 
the evidence of an atrophied cord may not be sufficiently 
conclusive to justify an operator in forming an opinion, es¬ 
pecially if it be in direct opposition to that of the owner or 
attendant, who has, perhaps, seen the normally situated testi¬ 
cle removed. However, owners and attendants are so liable 
to be mistaken in regard to this matter, that their opinions are 
of little value. Therefore, an operator should never hesitate 
to cut into a horse on the opposite side to the one designated 
by the owner or attendant, if on the side thus designated an 
atrophied cord can be felt with any degree of certainty. If 
by no other means a conclusion can be reached, an examina¬ 
tion per rectum may shed some light upon the subject; but 
