ation of unduly long
cords in the external wound, to adhesion of the end of the cord to the
skin, to inflammation of the cord succeeding exposure to cold or wet, or
to the presence of infection (_Staphylococcus botriomyces_). These
tumors give rise to a stiff, straddling gait, and may be felt as hard
masses in the groin connected above with the cord. They may continue to
grow slowly for many years until they reach a weight of 15 or 20 pounds,
and contract adhesions to all surrounding parts. If disconnected from
the skin and inguinal canal they may be removed in the same manner as
the testicle, while if larger and firmly adherent to the skin and
surrounding parts generally, they must be carefully dissected from the
parts, the arteries being tied as they are reached and the cord finally
torn through with an ecraseur. When the cord has become swollen and
indurated up into the abdomen such removal is impossible, though a
partial destruction of the mass may still be attempted by passing
white-hot, pointed irons upward toward the inguinal ring in the center
of the thickened and indurated cord.

CASTRATION BY THE COVERED OPERATION.

This is only required in case of hernia or protrusion of bowels or
omentum into the sac of the scrotum, and consists in the return of the
hernia and the application of the caustic clamps over the cord and inner
walls of the inguinal canal, so that the walls of the latter become
adherent above the clamps, the canal is obliterated, and further
protrusion is hindered. For the full description of this and of the
operation for hernia for geldings, see remarks on hernia.

CASTRATION OF THE MARE.

Castration is a much more dangerous operation in the mare than in the
females of other domesticated quadrupeds and should never be resorted to
except in animals that become unmanageable on the recurrence of heat and
that will not breed or that are utterly unsuited to breeding. Formerly
the operation was extensively practiced in Europe, the incision being
made through the flank, and a large proportion of the subjects perished.
By operating through the vagina the risk can be largely obviated, as the
danger of unhealthy inflammation in the wound is greatly lessened. The
animal should be fixed in a trevis, with each foot fixed to a post and a
sling placed under the body, or it may be thrown and put under
chloroform. The manual operation demands special professional knowledge
and skill, but it consists essent