CASTRATION OF THE COW. 
415 
Ovariotomy lias received but very little attention in this 
country, and no extensive scientific experimentation has been 
carried on. The operation per vagina is comparatively unknown 
amongst the mass of our veterinarians, and the operation through 
the flank little resorted to except by the spayers and gelders. 
They claim a very slight mortality, only one or two per cent., as 
the result of their operations, hut facts prove that they meet with 
a very much larger percentage of loss, even considerably above 
that estimated by Gourdon, in France—15 to 18 per cent. 
Our esteemed associate, Dr. Liautard, some ten years ago 
imported from France a set of the latest Oharlier instruments, and 
met with very gratifying success in many cases in which lie prac¬ 
ticed the operation. His experience was presented to the U. S. Vet¬ 
erinary Association, and is the only report of the kind, of which 
I have any knowledge, that has appeared in this country. The 
instruments consist of a concealed knive with a short concave- 
edged blade, a speculum and a long straight ecraseur. The 
speculum is inserted into the vagina, holding it with the left 
hand and directing it with the right, to prevent injuring the 
mucous membrane of that organ. The projection on the end of 
this instrument is then inserted into the opening of the os uteri, 
and the right hand withdrawn to procure the concealed knife. 
This is passed into the vagina, and while pressing downwards and 
forwards on the speculum the incision is made in the same way that 
Charlier made it. However, I found that an incision large enough 
to admit the index and median fingers sufficed as a rule, instead 
of including the thumb as Charlier did, using those of the right 
hand in seeking the left ovary and vice versa. These fingers are 
then passed over the uterus, run along the cornua on whichever 
side yon are seeking the ovary, then the fallopian tube is followed 
until the ovary is reached. This is brought gently to the opening 
in the vagina, where the thumb, though within the vagina, is 
carried back of the ovary, which organ is then readily shoved 
through the small but elastic orifice. The ecraseur is now inserted 
into the vagina by the independent hand, and the ovary and as 
much of the cord and broad ligament as is possible is introduced 
into the inclosure of the chain. Traction is now begun on the 
