CASTRATION OF CRYPTORCHIDS. 
359 
>roper moment would have enabled him to finish it with ease and 
issurance. We must acknowledge that we have not always fol- 
owed this suggestion, and must plead guilty of once failing in 
he operation because of our proceeding too hurridly and with an 
lusteady hand. It was our third operation; we had not com- 
detely exposed the inguinal ring; the hand had become fatigued 
>y pushing against the resisting tissues, and was powerless when 
t reached the inguinal interstice. At this point our strength and 
acifity of action failed, and the small oblique was run through. 
In extensive eventration was the result, followed by the death of 
lie patient. This case furnished a good lesson and we consider 
t worth recording. Since then we have often noticed this weak- 
iess of the hand, especially after its introduction into the abdqjnen. 
Whenever this has taken place we have immediately suspended 
he operation, and have taken a moment for rest; we have even 
,t times withdrawn the hand, either from the inguinal space or 
he abdominal cavity, and we have always had reason to be sat- 
sfied with our course. 
“ To be cool, wisely slow and always watchful of the strength 
>f the hand with which we operate, such are the essential condi- 
ions of success in the perforation of the inguinal interstice. 5 ’ 
Like Degive we have failed twice in this step of the operation, 
vitli eventation as the consequence of the failure. We have since 
Iways succeeded in avoiding this accident by following the caution¬ 
ary recommendations before given. 
B .—Searching for and prehension of the testicle .—The ingui- 
lal interstice being opened, great care must be taken to avoid 
lunging the hand suddenly into the abdominal cavity. On the 
ontrary, it is better to delay a little and allow the hand to resume 
ts entire tactical force and facility before proceeding. Ordinarily 
h<- two or three fingers which have torn the peritoneum wfill find 
mtnediately about the opening and without penetrating deeper, 
ither the testicle, or more commonly a portion of the epididymis, 
yhich, as we have said, is very large and pendent. When neither 
f these conditions occur the whole hand is to be pushed into the 
bdomen by slow degrees, advancing only as the fingers recognize 
>y their sensitiveness the nature of the organs they are touching. 
