CAUDAL MYOTOMY VS. CLITORIDOTOMY. 
93 
sutures being- omitted. The tampon may be aseptic, or, as we 
use it, antiseptic, being saturated with i to looo sublimate solu¬ 
tion, a pad of cotton saturated in the same solution spread over 
the wounds and the tail firmly bandaged, the tourniquet being 
removed after the bandaging has been completed as well up to 
it as possible. 
The removal of the tourniquet is the signal for rather profuse 
haemorrhage, which quickly subsides. The haemorrhage appear¬ 
ing so quickly serves to eliminate any irritation from the subli¬ 
mate within the wound. The bandage is removed after 24 
hours and fresh dressing applied and in 48 hours the bandage 
and tampon may be omitted and the wounds treated once or 
twice daily with antiseptics. By omitting the use of the crup¬ 
per the animal can readily continue its work without interrup¬ 
tion. Care being taken to make the two sections of equal 
length, the symmetry of the tail is not changed except it is 
carried somewhat higher. The preserved ischio-coccygeus 
serves to prevent any undue elevation of the tail. 
As we know of no essential bond of sympathy between the 
tail and genitals we can scarcely assume that the myotomy has 
effected a cure through the medium of the reproductive system. 
We are led to think it possible, if not probable, that the edu¬ 
cation given an animal, by securing it fixedly and performing a 
painful operation in a region about which it has been previ¬ 
ously viciously irritable and is now powerless to evade or resent 
the pain, plays an important part in the eradication of the vice. 
If this be true, we should in these operations discard general or 
local anaesthesia entirely and secure the animal in the most im¬ 
movable and helpless manner, yet safeguarded against physical 
injury, which is in our judgment best attained by use of the 
operating table. 
Having attempted but the one operation we can not of 
course essay to compare the two, though we believe the caudal 
myotomy has a wider application, being available in geldings. 
At the same’time it wholly removes the power of gripping the 
reins and renders the tail far more readily handled in every way. 
