rarmer Miles’ Methods

wena or--—

ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING
AFTER TREATMENT

ILE GET RATIONS,

| LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.

| Ghat, es ii pau

(aca Se STATES OF AMERICA.

ie fey
pre

at

A Snort AND CoMPLETE EXPLANATION

FARMER MILES’ METHODS

AMMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

ye opt el tN en aly a

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS.

VAL AA o PR Nae
Pat Dy aa Ase

Tye ? a,

Ve een ; Dw ge ae

PREFACE.

In boyhood I had a natural fondness for animal
surgery. My father being a physician, I naturally
acquired, through him, more or less knowledge in
that line. I moved from Kentucky to Illinois, where
I had a large farm and was raising all kind of stock.
There being no veterinary near, I was compelled
to frequently use the knife, first for myself, then for
my neighbors, as in those early frontier days here
neighbor helped neighbor, and I appeared to be
the one always called upon to do the surgery, until
so much practice gave me a reputation second to
no one living near. Then ridgling horses were
almost worthless, and my neighbors would some-
times ask me to “cut or kill them.” I always did
one thing, and sometimes both, but free of charge.
In thus experimenting, I obtained a reputation
twenty-five years ago which caused me to stop
farming and travel most of the time, in answer to
calls, over the entire country, from Maine to Cali-
fornia. I also spent one year on the other side ot
the Atlantic, in England, Ireland and Scotland,
where I performed a great many operations in ani-
mal surgery.

This little book is intended as an expose of my
favorite methods, ropes, instruments, etc. I have
tried to make it plain and truthful, as well as help-
ful, to all castraters. Trusting it will be a benefit
to many,

I am, yours truly,
FARMER MILEs.

ANIMAL CASTRATION.

COMMENCED the castration of stock in 1850,

without books, teacher or theory, not thinking
then, or for years.after, that I would ever leave my
immediate neighborhood on such business, but I now
think I have traveled over more territory, in this
business, than any four castraters I ever heard of,
and I have tried all methods known worth consider-
ing. I have had the counsel and advice of some of
the best veterinarians and M. D’satalltimes. I have
liked the business more and more, even so much as
to neglect my farming, and have given all my time
and attention to it. I got the prize at our Centen-
nial Exposition at Philadelphia, Sept. 14, 1876, as
the best castrater of ridgling horses in the U. S.
A. Ido not claim to know it all, but do claim to
be in good practice, and to do every operation the
best I can, which is usually satisfactory to all parties
concerned.

First, I like a nose-twitch in horse surgery better
than ether or chloroform. The best twitch I get
is made of a spoke out of a buggy wheel, about
sixteen inches long, and flattened at the small end.
The loop at the large end of the twitch should be
of one-half inch cotton or flax rope (flax is best),
spliced in thirteen inches long, and a large twine

Yj
Y 7
t i sblblilel ee

ANIMAL CASTRATION. 9

string, three feet long, should be fastened in the
middle to the small end of twitch, like the cut.

I have never seen but three or four horses that
I could not get the twitch on while standing. The
twitch loop should be over the left hand; then gently
grasp all of the upper lip you can, and, with a slow
movement, twist the twitch until it binds the nose
lightly ; then, with both hands on the twitch, turn
Slowly, still tighter, until the colt raises his head
and winks his eye, then stop and turn the small end
of the twitch slowly up beside the halter and tie it
there with the long strings on the small end of the
twitch in a double bow-knot. Now ask the man
that is to hold the colt’s head while casting him,
‘‘ Please do not touch the twitch until we are through
operating on him.”’

In common castration of colts and stallions, after
trying all the different methods known, I have done
the most natural thing, I think, with my own inven-
tions. I have made a choice of all other methods
for my own use, and this little book is intended as
a full expose and explanation of my present meth-
ods and practice. To meet a demand for my
printed methods, my ropes and instruments are
shown, so as to more fully explain my use of them.

I will now speak of colt or common castration in
a general way. First halter the colt with a leather
head-halter, and, if convenient, have a one-half
inch rope hitch strap on the halter; next, half-hitch
the under jaw with the rope, and push the lips in
under the rope; next, put on the nose-twitch, as
above described. Then nearly every colt will

ANIMAL CASTRATION. 11

stand still while you put a short hopple on each
hind ankle, and two on right fore ankle; then the

FIFTEEN FEET LONG.

back rope around the left fore ankle, running
it through the rings as described in the cut/like a
thread through four needles, first the lower ring
on the right front ankle, then through ring on right
hind ankle, then through the ring on the left hind
ankle, then through ring at right front ankle above
the pastern, and draw all up snug on the left side.

Now ask the two men who are to hold the back
rope, to be ready to pull when you give the word
“pull.” Then ask the man holding the head, to
stand at the colt’s left shoulder, and with his left
hand grasp the rope close to the chin of the colt,
and gently turn the colt’s head around to the colt’s
left side, slowly. Then slowly put the halter rope
around the left fore leg and hold it in his right
hand. Allis now ready to cast the colt on a pile
of straw, or on some soft ground. The operator
should now gently pull five pounds on the tail, to
the left, and say ‘ pull,”’ which will cast the colt on

2 ANIMAL CASTRATION.

his right side at your feet, if the operator and
head-holder both push only a few pled when the
yword “pull” is given. An
. improvement on this cast is
RACH ERVEN EET Toe tO take aa dleneetmopcmehall
inch cotton, seven feet long, and double it in -
the center and loop it around the right hind
leg below the hock. After you get the hind feet
near together then twist the two ends until they
close together at the left leg, then tie it—in other
words hopple the colt behind, but be sure and tie the
knee rope in a bow knot. Do this the last thing be-
fore casting; always remember this is the last tie.
Another addition is to put on a surcingle, and
instead of the rope from the jaw to and around
the fore leg, put this halter rope through the
surcingle rather tight, and have the head-holder
hold it in his right hand when casting, and still
hold it tightly even after the colt is down, which
will hold his nose up and back, preventing much
struggling. Never allow any man, under any
circumstances, to hold the head down when cast,
but in place thereof, hold the nose straight up and
the withers down by sitting upon the top of the
shoulders.

We will now suppose the colt is on his right side,
at your feet, and the head holder is sitting on his
withers, pulling the colt’s chin back on his side near
the left shoulder, unless you have used the sur-
cingle, then the head holder’s position should now
be standing at the withers with his right foot on the
colt’s neck, near the shoulder, and pulling’on the

mi

| i

Hy

:

\ Wik |

14 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

halter-rope that is half hitched on the colt’s chin
and comes under the surcingle to his right hand,
enabling the holder to keep the chin up from the
ground and back near the point of the shoulder.
In this position, with the twitch on, and half hitch
in the mouth, nearly every colt will be still. Then
the operator should gently take the back rope, and
if all the feet are not together now, pull gently with
the two men until they are ; then wrap his back rope
twice around the left hind ankle and hold it with
a ten pound pull, and walk back around the colt’s
rump, and then draw a fifty pound pull to raise that
left hind foot up near the stifle, which will partly
pull the colt upon his back. Now, have one of the
first two men that pulled, when you first said pull,
to cast the colt pull the back rope under his rump
tightly, while you hold the same rope near the foot
and bearing the left hind foot down close to the
stifle. Now ask the other one of the first two
pullers to gently lift up on the colt’s right knee.
Your pull and his lift should roll the colt nearly on
his back. During this time have the man that
pulled the big rope under the rump catch a hitch
over the colt’s right hind foot and draw it down
tight and again tighten it, still holding the rope,
so if the colt should struggle he can not get loose
or hurt any one, in case of a struggle; andif your
rope is not as tight as you like it, again place the
rope that is around the rump forward of each stifle
and bear down on the left hind foot, and take up
all slack rope on the other side, then bear the right
hind foot down again, and tighten your tie; but

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 15

remember, do not jerk while tightening the rope,
or the colt will struggle, for that is horse nature.
When the rope under the rump is forward of each
stifle and tight, put a tuck under the rope from
the foot tothe stifle, and half hitch back over the
right hind foot, and he is tied, and should now be
on his back. To keep him on his back two min-
utes while you operate, ask two men, one on each
side, or if four men are present two on each side,
to stick their left feet, toes foremost, as far under the
colt as possible, then pull the colt by knee or hock
‘only back on their feet, which acts asa chock. No
one will be hurt though he should struggle. Each
man should pull to himself, and not push the colt
away from him over on the other man. My advice
to all new beginners is to get a colt out on a good
place, cast and tie him several times. Learn the
A, B, C of castration before you attempt any sur-
gery. Almost every man that attempts colt cas-
tration soon gets conceited and thinks himself an
expert, when in fact he is liable to do great wrong.
But let us suppose our colt is now cast skill-
fully and tied slowly and safely, and held firmly on
his back by our assistants. If the bag, or scrotum,
testicles and all are down well, then with elbow for-
ward between the hind feet grasp one seed at a
time in the left hand, and with a knife or hook,
which is my preference, split the bag over the ex-
treme hind part of the seed one inch long into the
water, then introduce the hooks No. 1 here
described—all other blades shut—and push for-
ward to the point you wish to split to; then

16 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

turn the point of hook upward, and with one gen-
tle pull split the skin and tunic out, and expose the
testicle. Then do the other the same way, about
one inch on each side of the septum or raphe three
inches long. But if the seeds are small and are
not well down, and are hard
to grasp with the left hand,
grasp the sheath two inches
behind the front end and
push it forwardtightly. Then
place your hook where you
want the front end of the
gash, and slowly pull back
with your hand raised a lit-
tle after the hook enters the
skin, and you will not cut
deeper than the skin, nor
cut into large veins just be-
low, and repeat on the other
side. Each incision three ~
inches long. Now both tes-
ticles are exposed with tunic
on. Split the tunic and lift
the seeds up well, about a
two pound pull on each seed.
If you>;suse* the ligature,
which looks well but is the
most dangerous of all methods, put your small,
strong twine as high on the cord as you can to be
below the tunic, and tie by a surgeon’s knot as tightly
as possible. Cut the cord half off if you can in
the tie, for a slack tie and large string is liable to

AND AFTER TREATMENT. iz

produce tetanus in a few days’ time and loss of the
colt. But a better way is the old-fashioned clamps
from five to seven inches long, accord-
ing to age; five inches long and one
inch thick is large enough for yearling
colts, while a large stallion would re-
quire clamps seven inches long and
one and one-half inches thick, of
sumac or some soft wood, with the
pith grooved out and the groove
greased with lard, and the lard
sprinkled over with powdered cor-
rosive sublimate, very lightly. These
clamps should be put on very tight,
from one to three inches above
the testicles, according to the length
and strength of the spermatic cord or
attachments holding them to the
horse. I pull up about two pounds
on the average yearling and three or
four pounds on the average stallion
on each seed, so as to get well up on
the cords, and tie them tightly at both
ends, then cut the seeds off and let
up. In one day or less time take the
clamps off and tear all attachments.
to the cords loose and push them
up, but the best way, I think, is to
use no strings, clamps or hot irons, but a good
ecrasure and the hook knife to get the testicles ex-
posed, then grasp them both in the left hand at the
same time through the chain of your ecrasure and

1
5
Se
née

2

18 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

lift up about three pounds on a yearling or six
pounds on a stallion. Then with the right hand
adjust your chain several inches up on the bloody
cord (spermatic cord), but always square across, and
sometimes over the exposed ends of the tunic, which
is not wrong if you like, but always, after clos-
ing the chain over both testicles, and around
both cords at once, hold now with the ecraseur
in the right hand. Now, take the bloody cords,
one at a time, in your left hand and draw them
one inch or more through the chain, so as to
shorten them still more. Now see that no skin
or extra tissue is caught under the chain; then change
hands by grasping the ecraseur near the front end
with the left hand, with the thumb resting firmly
upon the chain and loop in the ecraseur; then
with the right hand quickly take up all slack in
the chain and tighten it some; then with the left
hand grasp the middle of the ecraseur over the han-
dle to better hold it, as you should ; then grasp the
gimlet handle in the right hand, and turn until both
cords are severed or pulled through the loop,
which one or both cords are liable to do. But, in case
they do, only press your left forefinger on the cords
in front of the ecraseur, then grasp with right
hand one chain and jerk it on through the cords
and tissue, which pull through the loop, and all
will be well. I expect to be criticised by thousands
of castraters as a common crank, but neverthe-
less I propose to tell the truth plainly as I can, and
candidly express my preferences, obtained by thirty
years of practice. In speaking of the ecraseur |

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 19

prefer a loose one, liable to pull part of both cords
through the loop of the ecraseur, or, at least,
some of the tissue, because when the chain fits
closely it is harder to cut off with, and will bleed
more than an old, loose, half worn-out ecraseur
does.

If you wish a bloodless operation, pinch both
cords with your ecraseur chain one-half inch above
where you intend to crush them both off at one
time. Pinch half hard enough to sever the cords;
then loosen and slip the chain one-half inch nearer
to the seeds, and crush off. As to turning the
ecraseur slowly, I never do. I can not see any
benefit by doing so longer than five seconds on the
first pinch ; that stops the circulation in the blood-
vessels inclosed in the chain. A rupture or scrotal
hernia should always be castrated by the covered
operation, two or three inches higher than com-
monly done, with large clamps, put on tightly, and
left on to fall off within from five to seven days;
therefore medicine on the clamps is unnecessary.
Most all colts that show a rupture while sucking
will be all right when one year old. Umbilical
hernia is easily cured by a strong wooden clamp,
put on tightly while the colt is held on his back;
no cutting is necessary, only clamp all of the loose
skin you can, and the end of the umbilical cord in-
side, and let up; all will drop off within from five
to seven days, and will be all right. But ventral
hernia can not be safely treated in that manner.
None but veterinarians should attempt to treat
it, and they will need a sheet of zinc, perforated

20 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

and riveted to two surcingles, as a level bandage,
and kept on tightly several weeks after the animal
has been cut open and sewed together—peritoneum
to peritoneum and skin to skin.

Ridgling or Crypterchid Castration. — When
talking to my pupils I class as five different kinds.
Number 1 is in the tunic and half way down from
the inguinal ring to the scrotum, and is easily felt
by an expert castrater while standing. Number 2,
also, is in the tunic, but is so small, or so high up,
or both, that they can not be felt, as arule. Num-
ber 3 is above the inguinal ring, and most com-
monly there is no tunic below to be found, yet
sometimes a contracted tunic is found four or five
inches long and empty. Number 4, the testicle is
in the abdomen, yet the courage ball (Glodus
minor), and some water is down in the tunic, as a
number one rigdling seed, but seems small, Num-
ber 5 was once a plain No. 3, but is now diseased
and enlarged to ten or twenty times its natural
size in the abdomen, with serum, pus, or both.

To castrate ridglings I think it very important to
tie them in such a way that the operator will have
every advantage. I will here try to explain my
favorite method and practice: As I go through and
over ten or twelve States each year in answer to
calls to castrate, I first meet the owners of the
stock, and next ask to see the stock. I first put
my hand under and feel the scrotum, so as to de-
cide for myself, or diagnose. each case regardless
of what I am told, for owners are so often liable to
forget how it is, and make mistakes. I then ask,

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 21

“‘Where do you wish the work performed?” If I
think the place suitable, I take my ropes there and
get ready, otherwise I select a place, and ask that

we use it.

2 a Sa a a ee ee

a <<

lv
ly
v
v
u
g
V,
ib,
iv
J

ceecceccre - ©

ccc

ee fcc

[aa

eee ce cee

cccrce$

SO ee eee ee

as
aa

2 Sa

——wecececo ec.

oc. = ©

ewrceceorererrr «

a a a a a as

\ccec ec

Any dry place, twelve by sixteen feet,
is suitable, and five men as assistants are
enough —a crowd is not desirable,
neither is it best to have assistants
change places as holders, asa rule. On
fresh plowed ground is a good place
when dry, but in wet weather a barn
floor is the general place. Then a bed
of straw or hay is used, seven by ten
feet, fifteen inches deep, on which
spread several old blankets to complete
the bed and hold the straw in its place,
close to which lead the ridgling, and
half hitch the halter strap or rope in
his mouth; then put on your nose twitch
tightly, and now place him just at the
edge of the bed, and he will stand there
until you cast him. Now put on the
ridgling ropes, -inch size, and sixty-six
feet long, looped in the center for a col-
lar to fit the horse, and put over his
head the old-fashioned way, then pass
both ends between all his legs and out-
ward, cross the same ropes under the
first as they go back to the collar, on
each side, as per cut No. 4.

Next put on your hopples as in cut No. 1, to
cast him with. The ridgling ropes are mee to
re-tie with after casting, yet can be used some

ANIMAL CASTRATION. 23

by one man drawing on the right hand ridgling
rope, at the word “pull.”” The operator should
hold the left ridgling rope in his left hand, and
when all is ready, as per cut No. 4, should say
“pull;’’ he and the head-holder, at that time,
should push the horse over on the bed. Next the
operator should draw on the rope in his left hand,
hard, then put it, where it comes around the hind
leg, down to the ankle, and hold his left hand rope
all the time; now withdraw the back rope out of
the two first rings on the back rope and free the
left hind foot from the hopple. The two men pullers
again take that rope, still holding tightly on the
back rope which is still on all the other feet, while
you adjust your big rope so as to let the left hind
foot back near the stifle. The head-holder should
now have the chin up and back, near point of the
horse’s shoulder; one man should be holding ten
pounds on the big rope on the under side of the
collar, out forward. Now put you left knee under
the left hind leg half way from foot to hock, and
bear it in to the horse, as in cut 5, about even with
the stifle; then put your long rope down on it at
the ankle, and once around; then draw tightly to
fit the rope to the ankle close; then take one-half
hitch. Now put your rope over the rump or loin,
and under the under thigh.- Ask some man to draw
twenty-five pounds on that rope. While he draws,
you lift the left hind foot with your hand enough to
tighten, like cut mi up and between the hocks and
wrap around ankle, and then take two half hitches
and ask some one to hold five pounds on that

ANIMAL CASTRATION. 25

rope, which will keep it from slipping and get-
ting too long. Now go to the horses’ feet,
remove the back rope from left fore foot by
slacking the pull of the two first pullers on the left
fore foot. Now re-tie that foot up tightly by looping
a knee rope in the middle over that ankle, and
one end under the leg and one over the arm;
tie tightly in a bow knot near the collar. Now have
the two first pullers who still hold the end of the
back rope walk around behind the horse to his
back,and pull hard. One man should now lift on
the under fore leg, and, the operator assisting, all
should turn the horse over slowly, then tie the

\ (
= pg NAA mins. |

my s f

co = =
— —— ii
— wee” iY “UE

aac
ian ——<—

——
—— — >

—
=
—
SS

right legs just as you did the left legs; then turn
him up on his back again, place the spreaders in
between the ankles as in cut 6, and tie them by
putting the spreader loops over each hind foot,
then tie around each leg with strings in the
spreaders. Please cast and tie other horses re-
peatedly this way before you tackle a ridgling for
castration—practice the A, B, C of ridgling work.

Your easiest ridgling to castrate will be the one
you tie best and hold properly. To get a good tie
you must first practice to get them in proper posi-
tion; also learn to have them held properly after
they are tied. The operator should keep cool and

26 ANIMAL CASTRATION.

go slow, use no bad words, and show no cruelty to
the poor horse that has not consented to such
treatment, which he will prove by struggling, un-
less your nose twitch and half hitch on his jaw con-
strains him to lie still, and thereby help you to do
your work quicker and better. We will now sup-
pose your ridgling is properly tied and held in po-
sition by three or more assistants, as in cut 6, on
his right side, with chin up and back, and the top
ridgling rope over your shoulder as you sit down
flat on the bed or ground, facing the horse, with
your legs over his tail; now grasp the sheath in
your left hand, well forward, and make your incis-
ion through the skin four inches Jong, about one
inch above the septum, or raphe, just where the
seed should be, if dtawn properly. Now with the
two front fingers like glove stretchers, separate the
tissues up the inguinal canal, but do not gouge into
the body of the sheath ; go up near the skin. When
your hand is in the inguinal canal, pointing from
the incision to the inguinal ring, six or seven inches
up, according to the size of the horse, your fingers
should be only one-half an inch below the black
skin ; now oil your hand well with a tablespoonful
of the best carbolized olive oil or cosmoline, and
insert your hand, with the fingers pointed together
cone-shaped, and rotate your left hand while you
push upward, about five pounds weight, and slowly
open the inguinal canal, The rotation of your
hand will cause the tissues to give way in the
proper place, until you reach the inguinal ring,
which is up about eight inches in an eight-hundred-

Z
vi
Y

28 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

pound horse, and nine inches in a thousand-pound
horse, and ten inches in a twelve-hundred-pound
horse, and about twelve inches up in a fifteen-hun-
dred-pound horse, varying only a little from this,
according to the fatness of the horse. A number
one ridgling’s seed will be found in the tunic, five
to six inches upthe canal. A number two ridgling’s
seed is eight or ten inches up, yet in the tunic. In
each case work your finger around the seed, tunic
and all, and break the adhesion, and gently draw
it down some, then split the tunic with your hook,
one inch, and with your two first fingers tear the
tunic open until the seed slips out, then put on your
ecraseur and crush off one inch above the seed and ©
Globus minor. A number three is above the in-
guinal ring, floating in the abdomen. My prefer-
ence in this operation is, first find the inguinal ring,
and rupture the peritoneum as near the ring as |
can, a little forward and a little above, with my fore-
finger nail; then dilate the opening with thumb
and fore-finger so as to admit of the first two fin-
gers, all others shut; then insert them and feel
down and back for the vas deferens, which is a little
cord usually within two inches of the rupture you
have made, the tenth of an inch in size, but never
feel for the testicle; you would not know it if you
felt it, unless your fingers are very soft and sensi-
tive to touch. Get some fine sand-paper and scour
your two first fingers on each hand until they are
very sensitive to the touch before you commence.
You need not feel for the bowels; slip your two
fingers down between the bowels and pelvis, gently,

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 29

and wipe up, and generally you will feel this little
cord, and by that wipe you can generally bring it,
the vas deferens, up to the rupture, but if you can not
raise it, then cross your long finger over the first
finger and grasp it between them. Then withdraw
your hand until the Globus minor protrudes through
the rupture. Then with thumb and first finger
grasp it, and rub it, to make sure that it is the
Globus minor and the vas deferens inclosed, and
then gently pull about one pound. If the seed is
large, as is common on aged ridglings, where one
has been removed when young, you may have to
reach back and enlarge your rupture; then, while
holding the Globus minor with your little finger
shut around it, with your forefinger feel the
end of the testicle and assist its delivery, while you
draw with little finger on the same hand; but some-
times the cord (the vas deferens) is not to be found so
near. Then feel deeper, but only with the two fin-
gers; aim to feel on the pelvis, behind and under
the bowels. There is no certain place where you
can always find the cord. I am speaking of the
general rule. There are exceptions. When I find
a case that has no scar or testicle on that side, and
I try, by cutting in, and can not find an old cord
below the ring where a seed has been taken from
previously, and I make my rupture through the
peritoneum and can not feel the cord on the inside
at all, I turn the horse over and cut on the other
side, and find that it has crossed over. Even
though there is a plain scar on the last-named side,
or even a testicle there, I go over either, and up

30 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

through the ring, or near it. I never go through
the ring, but as near it as I can to keep out of it,
for if you go through the inguinal ring. you put
your fingers in a pocket formed by the inverted
tunic, which you can not rupture there, inside, but
if by mistake you do get into an inverted tunic,
draw back and rupture the peritoneum one-half
inch forward and slightly above the ring; do not
vary much from this point, for if too high, you can
not reach back and down to the cord; do not go
below the ring, or the bowels will follow the seed
when it comes out; but from this point you can
reach it, and the bowels will not come out twice in one
hundred operations, and if they should chance to
do so, replace them after you get the seed, so as
to leave the cord in place in the inguinal canal, and
then when standing, slip your hand up again, and
if the bowels are in, then they will remain in, espe-
cially after micturition. It has been so long since
I have had the bowels come down, I scarcely think
of it, but in case they did, I would put them in
while standing, unless they were down almost to
the hocks; then I would cast the horse. Later on
I will tell you some of my experience.

We come now to number four, where the tes-
ticle is in the abdomen, but the Globus minor and
some water is in the tunic, and when you first find
it will pronounce it a number two, but when you
break down the adhesions and grasp the testicle
and split the tunic, and the water flies out as in
common castration, you will then see that the
testicle is too small, and this is only the Globus

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 31

minor, and you can not pull the seed out through
the ring, and the contracted tunic above, there-
fore youhad better not try. The better way is to tie
a string on the Globus minor to gently hold it by,
then go on up to the inguinal ring, and rupture the
peritoneum as close to the ring as you can, closer
than in a number three, and feel for the seed partly
pulled down in the upper ring. Now get your one
finger around the seed, then let go of your string, and
let the Globus minor go up near the ring, through or
with the tunic on it, while the testicle comes
through the rupture down outside the tunic; then
take it off and draw the string and the Globus
minor down as at first and take it off. If you take
the Globus minor off first you will have trouble
to get the seed; if you take the Globus minor off
and leave the seed still in, the horse will squeal
and cut up more than a stallion, because the semen
can not pass out of the seed, for the channel is
cut off and closed, and it makes the after castra-
tion more difficult, as there is no cord (vas defer-
ens), to find and to hold on to, and by which to
draw the testicle to you. A number five was
once a plain number three, but is now diseased
and much enlarged by internal hydrocele; but
this is not known at first. You operate as for
a number three, and find the cord (vas deferens ),
and then the Globus minor, but the seed will not
come through the rupture. Now you should oil
your other hand and remove the contents of the
rectum; then insert the hand and arm above the
elbow, and feel downward with the hand in the

32 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

rectum; then jerk on the Globus minor with your
first hand, and you will plainly feel a large lump
shake as you jerk. Then ask some assistant to
get your trocar, and withdraw the spear partly
and insert the trocar up by the palm of your first
hand, through the rupture made, and then plunge
it one inch or more into this lump or tumor, and
let out about a quart of serum or pus, or both.
Then the sack, seed and all, will collapse and slip
out, and most commonly come well down. Now
put your chain up well over all the diseased
part and cut off, and all will be as well as though no
disease had existed. There is yet another kind,
but so seldom found that we will not call it num-
ber six. It was once, no doubt, a number five,
but has passed into ossification, and can not be
punctured and let out as a number five can.
I have offered insurance at ten per cent. on all ridg-
lings I got the first cut upon, for sixteen years
past, and never had but one to die while insured,
and that of the kind last named. I got the seed
after it had burst, and left some pus and the large
ossification inside. This horse died in six days,
and I paid for him. I would remove the ossi-
fication if I had a similar case again. I never had
a number six to burst before, and was confused.
I think that horse could have been saved; stil] 1
would rather not insure such cases.

The next is a double number three ridgling,
where both testicles remain in the abdomen,
About one in every eighteen ridglings is a double
number three, and all are barren, though very am-

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 33

orous generally. Ridgling stallions seem to be as
sure as breeders as any horses, but remove the
seed that is down only and he is a ridgling, and as
amorous as ever, but always barren. My observa-
tions lead me to believe that double number three
ridglings come mostly from mares sired by rigdling
stallions, and bred to ridgling stallions, and over
two-thirds of all ridglings are left handed, that is,
the hidden seed is on the left side. The most diffi-
cult ridgling to castrate is one that has been cut
into several times and the whole hand inserted ;
then the healing process hardens the tissue and
closes the natural channel. In such, if bad, cases, I
prefer to cut on the opposite side regardless of tes-
ticle or old scar, and cut outside and go up outside
the tunic close to the old cord, from which the testicle
was removed, or just over it, up to the inguinal ring,
and one inch above, and then rupture the peritoneum
and insert the whole hand and part of the arm and
feel across on the opposite side. I try to find the
cord, the vas deferens, but would not pass the tes-
ticle if I found it. In sych a case it would be pref-
erable to have the horse empty, | mean fed no hay
for one day. Such cases are usually short corded.
When you get the seed, turn the horse on his back,
for that makes it easier to remove properly. Now,
as this cord is liable to draw back into the abdo-
men, pinch it well, then slip the chain one half inch
nearer the seed and crush off. A number two ridg-:
ling is the kind to bother operators that are not
careful. They first feel the horse well when stand-
ing, and decide it is a number three, as they can

3

34 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

feel no seed. They then cast and tie him and
hurry to show how quickly they can do such a job,
and do not feel a number two, a small seed, but
pass by it and find the ring and slightly forward make
a nice rupture, and feel inside and find the cord, vas
deferens; but the cord is fast at both ends, and soit is.
The seed is below the ring and can not be drawn up
through the ring. This operation is a failure un-
less he finds the seed below the rupture, as a num-
ber two. I found three ridglings that cancer must
have destroyed one seed in each. I killed the first
horse and found the vas deferens down too near the
seed, with an old scar all healed up. The next I
half castrated only and he remained as quiet as
any gelding. The third one I found an old horse,
a number three ridgling stallion, with all the attach-
ments on the hidden seed, except a scab and sore,
instead of the testicle. But I have never found a
horse with three testicles, yet I have altered a
great many ridglings that I was told had had two
seeds taken out of them before I got the last one.
Mostly all such had been number fours, with the
Globus minor in the tunic, and that was called a
seed, but was absent on the seed I got as the third
one. A few times I have been called to alter a
horse with one large seed, after two had been re-
moved, and found it a scirrhus cord as large as a
seed. If it had been cut off three inches higher it
would have been all right then, and no scirrhus
cords would have appeared afterward. I think all
cases of hydrocele (water seeds) may be avoided
by cutting high, say three or four inches above the

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 35

testicles. I think almost all tetanus may be avoided
in castration by using no clamps or ligatures. I
think nearly every death may be prevented by
proper exercise and medicine after castration. I
never saw a horse I was afraid to castrate at a
reasonable price and insure him to live for ten per
cent. on that amount beside my regular fee for that
class in that locality. Of course my fees are much
lower at home than a thousand miles away from
home.

The best treatment I know of is to drench the
horse twenty-four hours previous to castration with
one and one-half pints of raw linseed oil, and soon
as castrated give him drachm doses of my castrat-
ing tincture every three hours:

Tincture of aconite root, one ounce.
Fluid extract belladonna, one ounce.

Quinine, one half ounce, rubbed down in one half ounce of
sulphuric acid.

Put this all ina pint of water and give twelve
doses, not remaining up at night. The horse
should be walked at least two hours daily. Mod-
erate plowing all day is the best exercise to pre-
vent stiffness. The oil you use when castrating
ridglings should be cosmoline or pure olive oil, and
to one pint add one half ounce of carbolic acid.
Your hands should be well washed, first with anti-
septic solutions, one to two-thousandth parts, then
well oiled with this only; then insert your hand
and do your operation with care slowly.

To follow my former practice, have the incisions
on ridglings opened well up four or five inches high,

36 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

just before they are walked morning and evening, so
as to let all serum drop out, and thereby prevent
swelling, as it is called, when in fact it should be
called neglect to open up the cuts five inches
high for five days. Stallions and plain colts
would do better in retaining flesh, and make a
better recovery if they were opened twice daily for
five days three inches high, unless you use the
antiseptic practice, of which I will now speak. I
used antiseptic tablets of corrosive sublimate, one
and three quarter grains, and citric acid 87-100
grains, at a strength of one part to two-thousandth
(or as per directions on all bottles of antiseptics as
put up by Parke & Davis, chemists, Detroit, Mich.),,
on my external washings of sheath and scrotum,
and double that strength in the cuts and all around
the cords in the groin and tunic, and fill the wound
with iodoform, and sew up the incision, and try to
heal all by first intention in any and all castrations,
and I like it much. I think, with practical applica-
tion, it must soon become the only way—but,
reader, I am not a veterinary surgeon nor a drug-
gist. If you are either one, you ought to know
more about medicine than I do; if you are neither,
get some good veterinary surgeon to more fully in-
struct and help you. My forte, if I have any, is
with a set of old ropes, casting and tying stock, and
trying to cut or spay them, of which I am now try-
ing to tell you my favorite methods. I castrate
mules the same as I do horses, but I never saw a
mule with a testicle in the belly, except one her-
maphrodite that I altered. I have successfully

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 37

castrated nine or ten hemaphrodite mares, find-
ing several just like number two ridglings; the
others were as double number three ridglings, ex-
cept the mammary glands were of the usual size for
mares, and I cut outside them, and went up to the
inguinal ring, and ruptured the peritoneum, just as
on the ridgling horse (the same operation), and I
never knew one to die. I have cut them from four
months old up to four years old.

To castrate a plain bull seems too common to
speak of. But I prefer to cut off the lower end of
the sack or bag, as little as will do, and squeeze
the testicle down and out, tunic and all. Then
grasp all of one seed with one hand and push up
with the other, and break the cord off six, eight or
ten inches above the seed. I do the other likewise.
‘Thisis the most common method known. Yetsome

fy 2 a / " = ae tA 5 i
1 eee ' |, Z nf z =
ili AG BB 4 f
fh Ct, > : ne he i 7)! 1 Hf

prefer to leave the bag on, and split into the seed
through the tunic on each side. This leaves the
tunic in the bag to inflame, which I think is bad. I
have known a few grown bulls to bleed to death
from castration. In such cases, I think a large
string tied around the top of the bag in a bow-

38 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

knot for two or three hours would be best, and do
no harm. I have castrated quite a number of
ridgling bulls, the most of which were double num-
ber threes, and all were barren. The seeds are
not attached in a ridgling bull as in the ridgling
horse, but are fast to the loin. To get them out,
I have always had to cast the bull and cut in the
side and spay them the same as a heifer (as per cut
of cow standing), a little forward of the hip bone,
and half way down from the back to the belly,
in the left side. I hold the flank from me with the
left hand, and place the hook, No. 2 in knife,
where I wish the lower end of the cut. Bear the
hook in, and pull up slowly about five inches, cut-
ting only through the skin and tissue to the red,
slick beef. Now draw the hinder flap of this cut
back one inch and then puncture the flesh and per-
itoneum with blade 4 on knife. Then insert my
first fingers of both hands and tear the flesh enough
to admit my left hand. Then oil it with carbolized
cosmoline and insert it, and feel just behind the
kidney, and I find the seed easily, unless I have
overlooked a No, 2 seed high in the groin, and
very small.- “To Temove if pull Vand veuwist. It
should break off where the cord is small, five
or six inches long. The lip covers the rupture:
and the air is excluded by three or four stitches.
only skin deep.

You can alter ridgling hogs the same way,.
nicely and safely, if they weigh over two hun-
dred pounds, but shoats of fifty pounds can be
cut by using only two fingers in the side; but

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 39

decide before you cut in on which side the seed is
by the testicle or scar behind, and cut on the side
it is located. On the large hog there is no differ-
ence about sides, as the whole hand is inserted, and
either is within easy reach.

To spay sows, I cut in the same place. Ona
sow of one hundred pounds I| cut on the left side,
one inch forward of and three inches below the hip
bone. Just shave the hair off clean, then split
through the skin and fat, up and down, to the lean
flesh, and pull the hind lip back, and puncture to
the bowels back of the cut one-half an inch. Then
introduce just two fingers on the left hand, and
bear down in the hog, and wipe back on the loin
with the fingers to catch the ovary. Then remove
it, and follow the uterus down one“Hara to the
junction, then up the other ham: to the other ovary,
and remove it, and sew With two stitches skin deep
only.

The way to make hog spaying easy is to get in
practice, and never forget to bear down constantly
on the cut with the back of your other fingers,
which sinks your left front fingers nearer to the
ovaries, and keeps the bowels in at the same time.
The hog should lie flat on the ground on its right
side, with two men holding each foot in a hand, and
stretching lengthwise, with the mouth open. This
is the preferred position by experts, who spay thirty
hogs per hour all day. My dislike for hog music,
which is so abundant in spaying, has prevented my
doing it for pay at the usual price of tencents each,
but I would use a bench if I spayed hogs.

1 do like, however, the work of spaying cattle.

40 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

Yearlings are the most common ages; but all
ages are spayed. A spaying chute is the best
way, for then they are held still while standing ;
but for general practice the ropes are most avail-
able and convenient. Let us suppose we have a
lot of fifty cattle to spay to-day, mostly yearlings,
and have five men as helpers, and have choice of a
large lot of one acre, or a small lot of fifteen feet
by thirty feet, or a barn floor. If the weather is
fair, the small lot will be best; if rainy, the barn
is preferable—the acre lot is too large for conven-
ience. Now, all ready in the small lot, the catcher
should be a plucky fellow, and catch the first year-
ling near him with his left hand under the chin,
and his fingers in the right side of the mouth, his
right hand on the left horn; then turn the calf’s
nose up and back on the left side tightly, and hold
it so one minute, when the calf will fall over on its
right side. Rather than have its neck broken in
this twist, when the calf falls the holder also should
go down on its shoulder and still hold the nose up
and around on its side. Now put the back rope,
looped, around the right fore-foot, and a short
hopple around the right hind-foot and left fore-
foot; then thread the back rope through these
hopple-rings as above named, and have one man
to hold them tightly. Now put a knee rope upon
the left hind foot, and have one man to hold it
down and back tightly. She is now in position.
Now clip the hair off where you wish the cut, and
brush off cleanly all particles of dirt and hair, and
wash with antiseptic solution, strength, one to four-

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 41

thousandth part. Then make your incision about
five inches long, through the skin and tissue, down
to the red beef, one inch forward of the hip-bone,
and about the middle of the heifer from back to
belly. I like the hook No. 2 best in this opera-
tion, and use it entirely in all my spaying; but if
you have something better to make the incision,
use it; then draw the hinder lips of the incision
back one inch and puncture through the flesh
there; then insert your two front fingers surely
through the peritoneum; then tear the beef by
pulling with one hand and pushing with the other
hand, until your left hand will slip in easily when
oiled with cosmoline, and feel on each side of the
back-bone just behind the kidneys for the ovaries—
in yearlings, lumps about the size of sparrow eggs,
in cows, four times larger—hanging from two to
four inches below the loins if standing, but when
cast, may rest against the loins. If you do not
understand the anatomy of the parts, go to a
slaughter-house and examine them well.

To remove the ovaries, I first find them with my
left hand and shut my hand on the ovary. I then

@.
)

put my long curved spaying scissors, points down-
ward, on my arm, and push down my arm to my
hand. Then in my hand I span the points of the
scissors, and clip the ovary off while under my
flexed fingers, with no danger of nipping a bowel.

42 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

I like dull flesh scissors next to the ecrasure to
crush off with, and much more convenient inter-
nally. When both ovaries are removed, I sew up

the skin only with this long needle, after bathing
the parts internally and externally with the anti-
sceptic solution, one part to two thousand.

Vaginal spaying of cows is the preferable way,
but it is seldom that our cattle are large enough,
and it is rarely done. What little spaying I have
done on cows and mares per vagina has been done
with rude instruments of my own—a spear eighteen
inches long, with a hook half an inch behind the
point to cut back with, and surgeons’ curved
scissors twenty-two inches long.

EIGHTEEN INCHES LONG.

I first insert my left hand in the vagina, then the
front finger into the os uteri, and bear down and
forward, and puncture the vagina two inches be-
hind the os uteri, adove; then draw on the hook
upon the end of the spear to split the vagina about
two inches. I then remove the spear, and with my
left hand enlarge the opening, and pass my hand
on in the abdomen and grasp the ovaries, one at a
time, and nip them off with the dull points of the

AND AFTER TREATMENT. on

long curved scissors, cows and mares both alike.
No after treatment is used.

When I spay mares in the side, I cut as ona
cow. I dress with antiseptic solution and give cas-
trating tincture, as to a ridgling, to keep down
peritonitis ; but one in six die, and I think the rea-
son for it is that they are not in good health, the
ovaries are diseased and inflamed at the time; one
or both.

To spay a bitch of any size or age, I first tie a
strong string, three feet long, with the middle of
the string over the nose and the first knot under
the chin, then up behind the ears, and tie tightly
on the top of the neck, near the head, in a bow-
knot; then with a string or rope, according to the
size of the dog, loop one end above each hock.
Now hang the pup or bitch up so that the two hind
teats, when hung up, would be nearly as high
as your shoulders—about three inches below.
Next loop the ends of another string four feet long
around each front leg. These you can slip up or
down on the front legs to suit you afterward. Now
have the collar rope fastened below on the wall on
a nail or ring, to hold the head down, and one man
to attend the head and keep the collar from
choking the dog, and one man near to hold
the tail from switching around. Now put your
left leg over the string, as in cut of dog, hold-
ing the front legs, and adjust it. With your left
leg back a little, you hold the dog’s back away from
the wall and its belly facing you properly. All is
now ready. Nowmake your incision on the median

y

ANIMAL CASTRATION. 45

line from between the two hind teats, to or a little
below the next two teats, into the bowels. Now
look for either horn of the uterus. In a six weeks’
old pup it is not larger than a large sewing thread ;
in a six months’ old pup it is about one-sixteenth
of an inch, and in an aged dog one-quarter of an
inch, if she is not in pup. Now, with both fore-
fingers pointed together as a pair of forceps, and
all other fingers shut, insert the two fore-fingers,
and with the back of the closed fingers push. And
hold the bowels inside while you are looking for the
uterus, which is always near the loin behind the
bladder, as the dog hangs up, and will soon turn
red, if not found at once in pups, which makes it
easy to distinguish as a little red cord. Then with
your forcep fingers secure and hold it. Then hold
it in left hand, and never pull up more than one
pound on a pup six weeks old, nor two on a
pup six months old, or you are liable to break
the uterus off at the ovary, but hold just so
you can slip the right fore-finger down the uterus to
find the ovary, which is as small as a pea, and fast
to the loin, and in a sack. Tear the ovary loose
and up with the right finger nail. Then the uterus
is strong enough to lift the Ovary up to the open-
ing. Now put your artery forceps on, and pinch
all attachments half an inch from the Ovary, and cut
the ovary off with small curved scissors, and leave
forceps on, holding all hemorrhage shut off, until
you need them on the other ovary, and pinch it the
same way until you clip the other ovary off with ae |
your scissors. Be sure to get it all, and one-half «ich “if
the uterus besides. 7

46 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

I like to sew up with the uninterrupted suture,
-and commence at the lower end and secure the
peritoneum as well as the skin, and adjust the
‘stitches before you fasten the top stitches. If the
bitch is pregnant, I think she can be spayed safely
and with less trouble. Instead of the trouble as in
finding the pup’s uterus, you find, with no delay,
uterus, pups and all, and draw them all out and
detach the ovaries with your finger-nail from below,
and a two pound pull up on the other hand, until
all are outside, and loose on both sides; then
ligate all fatty attachments with the vagina, one
inch above the mouth of the uterus, tightly, and
cut off and take out the whole uterus, pups,
ovaries, and all attachments. I find they do well
in recovering. I have lost two bitches by my neg-
lect to sew up tightly enough, and the bowels came
out: the next day,I think it much better to have
them empty of foods

I secure and spay cats the same as pups, only
they are much easier to spay; but it is well to keep
one eye on their claws while so doing.

I think the antiseptic solution is beneficial on all
‘such surgery at the strength of one to two-thou-
sandth part, mostly used upon your hands, but
some in and on the wounds.

I think the stitches should be removed the sec-
ond day on cats and dogs.

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 47

CAPONIZING CHICKENS.

The most perplexing castration | find is the
caponizing of chickens. I have removed, as I sup-
posed, two testicles each from young chickens, and
found them when grown and fat, each one to have
from one to three testicles remaining inhim. These
we call slips, and they will crow and have red combs,
but will never sell as first-class.

They chase the hens, but do not fertilize the eggs.
In caponizing, to avoid making some slips, it re-
quires great care, and a fair chance, small birds of
one or two pounds weight, well emptied, a clear
day, the sun up high, and the work well done with
convenient instruments through a large incision be-
tween the two last ribs on the right side. First, if
the chicken has had no food for thirty hours, you
will have him in condition; next, have a small table
two by three feet, and two large strings each three
feet long. Fasten a half brick to one end of each
string. Now tie one string around his legs and
drop the brick over the right end of the table; then
the other string tie around the wings, close to the
back, and drop the other brick over the left end of
the table. He is now tied, and on his left side.
Next pick the feathers off over the last rib to the
hip bone. Now wet the feathers all around this
naked place with very cold water, which numbs the
feeling; the wet feathers will push back and stay
out of the way better. Now put your fore-finger
on the hip bone and across the flank to the first
rib.» Then stick your knife in a half-inch deep

48 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

there, between the first two ribs, and cut down and
forward to the lower end of the ribs, then turn your
knife and cut up between thebe first two ribs to
near the backbone. a

GRIPPERS. j SPREADERS.

Now put in the spreaders and open the ribs.
Next split the diaphragm which hides the bowels
from you, now turn your table so the sunlight will
shine inside on the testicles, and all will be seen
plainly. Now take the grippers, and with the open
ring up, slip under the lower testicle, and gently
wipe up from under the lower seed first, which will
draw it toward you somewhat. Now stop and open
the gripper’s mouth by spreading your fingers while
you hold still as you possibly can, under the seed ;
when the grippers open, the seed will drop below
the ring on the lower jaw; then shut them, and now
turn the gripper over several times to twist the
tunic, then draw out and try to get all the seed and
the tunic (covering). The top seed is much easier
to Set, but itis) better to leave ity wimp seiemiast
use it as a guide to get the lower seed first. Now
replace the wet feathers properly and let him go
without sewing up, as the ribs close the opening.
If you have no caponizing instruments, split be-
tween the ribs with any knife, and take two wires
a foot long, bend a hook on one end of each and
have a boy hold the ribs apart as wide as you like
them, while you work. Next have a small ecraseur

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 49

of your own make out of a goose quill. Cut off
the lower point and cut a hole in the side, get out
the pith and insert both ends of a long coarse
horse-hair from below, and leave a loop at the
lower end like the cut. Through the hole in
the side put this loop of hair over the seed, then
tighten it by lifting on both ends of the hair, and
pull all out while you push down to keep it tight,

QUILL AND HORSE-HAIR.

and pull seed, tunic, and all out clean, and you
will have no slips. This will work on small chickens,
but can not be used on three or four pound young
cockerels.

You may ask what is the good to castrate so
small a thing as a chicken of one or two pounds
weight. I think no other castration pays so well,
both in the increase in size in one year and the in-
crease in the quality of the flesh. Grown roosters
(or cocks), especially old ones, sell at the lowest
price per pound of any meat, while his brother, it
properly caponized when young, is the highest:
priced meat per pound in New York market any
February. If for home use, you will find him both
very large and fat, and tender as a broiler, a deli-
cacy that rich men enjoy when they can get them,
even at twenty-five and thirty cents per pound.

Every farmer may make capons and eat the best
meat the country affords at less cost and trouble

than old roosters have been to him. Castrate pigs
4

50 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

and calves and feed them until grown, then fatten
them and sell them at six cents per pound, when
you can castrate the chickens, raise and fatten them
to weigh twelve pounds or more, and sell them at
twenty-five cents per pound. Why this difference
in price? Only because they are the best. Then
why not have the best, when so easily obtained
out of our large breeds of chickens? - I have about
forty white Brahma capons now fat and fine.
‘Come and dine with me any day in the spring sea-
son and you will get the best I have. Come, and
welcome. I never was pig enough to want all the
good things myself.

MY MISTAKES THROUGH IGNORANCE.

I was called to spay twenty cattle, and alter one
colt, at a certain town. I did the work nicely, as
I thought. The seventeenth subject, a two year
old heifer, was so hot that I then remarked, ‘She
was boiling hot inside; but I proceeded with my
work without washing my hands or instruments, or
using any antiseptics, and spayed three more and
altered the colt. Within a week the heifer I men-
tioned, the three operated upon after, also the colt,
all died. I now think ignorance on my part cost
the lives of these three well cattle and the colt.

Again, I was called to alter five ridglings and one
stallion at Dr.) Wim. Sheppard s, Nie: (Cand Ge
of Ottawa, Ill. I was, while there, presented with
a fine gold-headed cane by twenty veterinarians.
The work was nicely done, as all pronounced it,
and so I thought. However, all died but one

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 51

horse, and he had a bad time of it because the
first one was a double number three ridgling, and
was sick. I noticed it, and said he was very hot
inside, but did not think to wash my hands, or
know how to use antiseptics, which I shall never
fail to do hereafter. Still, I have done hundreds
not so smoothly, that seemed to do extra well.
My advice to all surgeons is to use your thermom-
eter per rectum, and if the temperature is above
one hundred and one degrees, defer your opera-
tion and give some sort of physic and come again.
When you do operate, have clean hands and in-
struments, for your own credit and your patron’s
good.

But I now remember a different result on sick
horses. At Hartford, Ky., I altered three ridglings
in an old shed in a heavy and protracted rain, five
miles from the railroad. When done, one owner
said, ‘“ My colt has the distemper, and was a double
number three ridgling, and this weather is so bad,
I think I will have him insured at one hundred
dollars.” His brother said, ‘“‘My colt has the
same disease, and I believe it will be best to be on
the safe side, if it does cost ten dollars more;”’
and both took my insurance policy for one hundred
dollars each, and paid me the extra money. If the
other owner had been present instead of the groom,
I think I should have had to make out, unwillingly,
another policy. My circulars for the past eighteen
years have said: ‘I will insure all ridglings that
I get the first cut on, for ten per cent. extra, upon
the value of the horse, the owners to decide which
they prefer after they see the work done.’”’ At

52 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

this particular time, in the mud, rain, etc., I sort of
had the blues, something I am not subject to, and
I would have preferred paying the ten per cent.
not to take the risk, as these horses had the dis-
temper, and were obliged to go several miles in a
hard rain and deep mud; and, from general appear-
ances, I feared would have poor stables and atten-
tion at home. But my circulars in our correspond-
ence made the offer, and I felt honor bound to:
make my word good without complaint. Luckily
for me, however, all three did well, and I received
a very complimentary letter in two weeks saying,
‘‘Our horses are all well, and did not appear to
mind the operation at all.”

ANOTHER MISTAKE,

I would like to tell you how I lost my handker-
chief. I was called to alter a number three ridgling
at Terre Haute, Ind. I got him down and tied.
I then made an incision through the peritoneum.
Just then he struggled, and I made the rupture
much too large, and the bowels came down. 1 put
them back again and again, and finally got the seed
out and the bowels in. But they would not stay,.
so I asked a boy to give me my handkerchief from
my overcoat on the fence. I took it and crammed
it high up in the inguinal canal, and let the horse
up, and down came his bowels again. I caught
them, and with little difficulty replaced them once
more while standing, but forgot the handkerchief.
I soon missed it, however, and supposed I now had
a new and desperate case on hand, but I had no

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 53

trouble while standing to lift his hind foot and set it
on my knee, and then gently insert my hand to the
rupture and my fingers inside, and there found and
got the handkerchief. That colt worked every day
and did well, but I did not tell any one for several
years of my loss. I now tell you, so that you may
be more careful; for should such an accident hap-
pen you, it may be of service to you to know how
others have done when cornered.

I have now about one hundred pupils upon the
royalty plan, for ten years’ time, and I tell them all
never to be afraid of blood or bowels, for there isa
way to manage them with safety. You can take
up and tie almost any blood-vessel, or open a horse
and take out and look at his bowels and safely put
them in, and have him live and do well.

There are a number of bitches in this town that
Ihave spayed, removing ovaries, womb, pups and
all, that lived and did well. There is a dog here
now that never was born; and his mother is here
and well, also. The pelvis bones would not open,
and, after one day in labor, I opened the belly and
the womb and took him out, and in four months
after spayed the mother, at the same opening, and
found the womb grown in the cicatrix.

I never found the mare or cow | could not deliver
successfully.

I was called by Jack Pierce, my friend, to alter
three ridglings, about forty miles from here. The
first one had been cut into, without success, twice be-
fore, and was healed up tightly, and was hard and
calloused in the groin. This horse was_ badly
stringhalted at that time on that side, By chance

54 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

that horse was cast first, and with much trouble cas-
trated.

The second was cast and partly tied, when upon
looking around I saw the bowels of the first one
hanging out. I asked some man to hold them up
until the second horse was castrated, so we could
have the ropes to use, but the horse was restless
and the man timid, and he would let go. So the
bowels came on down nearly to his hocks, and we
let the half tied horse up, and cast number one
with the four hopples and back rope, and soon re-
placed the bowels. I then castrated the second
and third ridgling. I then saw the bowels hanging
out again. We cast number one the third time,
and I took a stitch, as I supposed, around the in-
guinal passage and left for the train. When I had
gotten a quarter of a mile away I heard a call, and,
looking back, knew by their gestures that some-
thing was wrong. I returned at once and found
a bucket full of bowels out and the horse down in
the dogfennel and weeds and quite sick. We put
the ‘ropes “upon ‘this ‘one “they fourth! tines mext
picked the dogfennel off, oiled the bowels. I then
slipped my hand into the inguinal passage up to
the ring; then grasped the bowels and put them
back through the rupture by lifting one inch at a
time, when the horse was on his side and the rup-
ture up. I then split into the inguinal channel as
high as I could conveniently, about half way up to
the ring, up and down, three inches long, so I
could then see where to put my needle, still above
my last cut, so as to close the suture around the
channel above. That horse made a good recovery,

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 5D

but strange to say, he was never seen to show
stringhalt afterward and soon sold for a good price.

I forgot to speak of one ridgling I castrated in
Kentucky. He had been unsuccessfully operated
upon repeatedly on both sides, and was hard and
calloused in the groin. I spayed him (the only one
I ever did that way) in the right side, as we do
cows in the left side. He got his pint and a half of
linseed oil twenty-four hours previously, and twelve
of my one-drachm doses of castrating tincture
promptly afterward, and the antiseptics were used
freely. He did well in recovering.

SOME OF MY MISTAKES ON DOGS.

I spayed an eight-months-old pup, and by mis-
take got one ureter instead of one horn of the
uterus, and it broke off near the kidney. Then,
for experiment, I cut it off near the bladder, and
then spayed her. She was helpless for several
days after, and filled up, seemingly with water.
She broke at the incision several times, and the
water ran out, but she finally got well.

I spayed a four-weeks-old pup, and made the
same mistake, and it lived. But the nicest job |
ever did in spaying was on three three-months-old
pups. The second one was spayed in five minutes,
without one drop of blood. I was proud, if I must
admit it, of my skill. The owner was pleased that
the pup took it so kindly; it made no move while
I was spaying it, or ever afterward, but it was not
choked to death, which there is danger of doing.
The same man wanted some pups’ tails cut off. I

56 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING
put the tails in the ecraseur, and pinched them off.
That works like’a’ charm, Viv 1c Mir] 45S

HORSES TAILS.

I am often called to straighten horses’ tails. My
preference is to cast the horse with my four hopples
and back-rope, and use my castrating knife with
No. 4 blade, the small blade on my castrating and
spaying knife, as shown on page 1 f

To cut the upper cord or muscle in two, in one, two
or three places, according to how much it crooks,
avoiding the joints. I aim to cut so the tail will go
straight and a little over to the other side, for in
healing it will settle back a little. I put my blade
in half an inch below the hair, sideways, and bury
all the cutting edge beyond the skin well; then
turn the edge up and cut all the top muscle in two
up to the skin. Then turn the knife over and cut
down to the tail bone to make sure of all the cord
while the muscle is tight. | By bending the tail from
you, no after treatment is necessary. I like this
better than to only make one cut, and tie the tail
around to the opposite side for one week or longer.

I am often called to do something for fistula on
horses. In the first stage, when filled with serum,
I think half turpentine and half fish oil liniment,
applied daily for a week, will drive it away by
absorption soon after application ; but all cases with
pus in them should be opened well, and the open-
ings filled to the bottom of each pipe with lumps
of bluestone for five days—lumps, not powder, as
the latter floats out, but the lumps remain in. After

AND AFTER TREATMENT. ay

five days, generally, the sack or pipes can be drawn
out. .Then fill all openings with salaratus for two
or three days. If the pipes will not pull out then,
repeat the bluestone four days longer. After the
salaratus has been in two or three days I like to
cut well on each side over the pockets, so as to get
my hand, or fingers at least, to the bottom of all
pipes, and fill them all full of absorbent cotton,
which should be removed daily and the sores washed
with tepid salaratus water and refilled with absorbent
cotton. If the cotton is inclined to come out, a
stitch may be taken across the incisions to hold it
in. Large openings at the top are best, and should
be kept well open until the bottom heals up. If
diseased bone is found, as the vertebree sometimes
are, the dead bone should be cut out with bone for-
ceps. Sometimes such fistula cuttings bleed freely,
but I never knew one to bleed over two gallons,
and I think frequent blood letting good in fistula.
The worst case of fistula I ever saw 1 tapped in the
middle of the neck, and took out four gallons of
thick pus and dead tissue. There was no enlarge-
ment in the withers, and it had never broken or
run. The whole neck seemed double the natural
sae:

I hada similar case about half as large, filled
with serum only, which got well in a short time by
being kept open well while running out on pasture.

DEHORNING.

I never met a farmer who knew nothing about de-
horning but objected to such cruelty. ‘I also never
knew one who had had twenty cattle dehorned but

58 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

was in favor of it always afterward. I am most decid-
edly. I think it a great prevention of cruelty to
animals. The best way is to blister the horns oft
of the little calves with the strongest blister you
have. I think any strong blister will kill the horns,
especially one drop of the oil of mustard on each
horn; but after the horn is one inch long, here
horn forceps are used to take them out with. Year-
lings and all older cattle are best dehorned with a
small bone saw, such as butchers use. Specialists,
as dehorners here, make a frame to load ina wagon
and haul around the country and will stop at the
barn door or gate and dehorn all your cattle for
ten cents each, and they saw down into the head
so as to have a ring (a quarter of an inch) of skin
left on each horn, which is the best way and the
right place. Ithink in a few years more, in this.
country, horns on cattle will not be seen at all for
none die from dehorning and the cost is so slight.
They feed, handle and ship better, as well as sell
better, without horns. Try it and be convinced.

PRICES.

In the Western and Middle States the common
price for ordinary castration is generally one dollar
per head, in small lots, but for yearling mules and
colts in large droves, twenty-five cents each is a
common price—that is for seventy-five or one hun-
dred in a place. In the Eastern States the price is
generally double what it is in the Western, that is,
where therg are not so many in a place to alter.
Where there is but one or two in a place, the price

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 59

is five dollars each, East, if well-bred stock. Three-
fourths of them are now cast and clamped; many
years ‘ago standing was as common as casting. I
think casting the best way, and do that entirely of
late years, but have altered nearly one thousand
standing. I never did but one ridgling standing,
and will never try another that way. I suppose I
get better prices than any castrater ever did, or
ever will again, as my trips are so lengthy, but my
pupils will soon divide that practice up, and none
have such long trips or heavy expenses to reach
their patrons. I castrate in the East a few year-
lings in bunches at five dollars each; where there
are but two or three at a place, ten dollars each;
ridglings, four or more in a place, twenty dollars
each ; for one only, more is charged, according to
time taken and railroad expenses.

Two years ago, W. L. Scott, of Erie, Pa., wanted
me to alter five yearling colts—all plain work. I
did them nicely as I could, when he asked what my
charges were. I told him ten dollars each—he ob-
jected to the price and paid me fifteen dollars each.
Last year I altered eleven plain colts for him, and
charged one hundred and tendollars. He objected
again, and paid me one hundred and twenty-five
dollars. Let me further say, one of his first five
colts (‘‘Chaos’’) won for Mr. Scott, as a two-year-
old, seventy-five thousand dollars as a race horse—
in five races.

While in Tennessee, Nov., 1887, I received a
letter saying, “Farmer Miles, when can you come
to Saratoga and alter four plain colts? J. B.
Dyer.” 1 answered, “I can go to Saratoga, N. Y.,

60 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

and alter four plain colts nicely, Dec. 10, for sev-
ty-five dollars, if answered soon, saying come.”’
In three days I received a telegram saying,
‘Farmer Miles, your seventy-five dollar rates are
satisfactory. Come Dec. 10.” I went and got his
seventy-five dollars, and his thanks, also.

Dec. 20, 1888, I was again called to castrate
seven plain colts for J. B. Dyer, and did so, charg-
ing him one hundred and fifty dollars. This you
may think a big price, but Mr. Dyer seemed
satisfied.

In June, 1888, I was paid sixty-five dollars to
alter one ridgling colt for Mr. E. Thorne, of Hen-
derson, N. C.

In August, 1888, I was paid seventy-five dollars
to alter one double number three ridgling horse
for T. Dudley, Topeka, Kan.

The best I ever did was to alter six ridglings
and two plain yearlings, at Bangor, Me., for one
hundred and sixty dollars, one afternoon, all easy
work, and a pleasant crowd, and plenty of sweet
cider to drink. The most I was ever paid for one
operation, was eighty-five dollars, on a ruptured,
heavy stallion, near Pittsburg, Pa.

The most difficult operation I ever did on a fine
bull, was for rupture of the scrotum on one side,
in Chicago. One State veterinary had tried to
return the bowels with his hand in the rectum and
the bull on his back one hour, and failed to return
them, two weeks before I was called. I split the
bag, tunic, and all, and found adhesion of the
bowels all around in the tunic, which was very,
large and hard. I broke down the adhesion and

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 61

then replaced them. Also put the testicle on that
side in, rather than remove it, and sewed all up,
with antiseptic, in which Dr. Withers, V. S., of the
Veterinary College of Chicago, kindly assisted me.

The most surgery I ever did in one day with five
helpers and only one set of ropes, was to spay two
hundred and five large, wild cows for J. W. Iliff, of
Denver, Colo., and I climbed a small pole about
twenty-five times, besides, when I was tired. I
presume you would like to know what pole climb-
ing had to do in spaying cattle? It saved my life
many times. It is very easy to do when a fellow
knows the cow is very mad, and comes at him
double quick, with such long horns, out on the
plains, thirty miles from any tree or house. I some-
times feel I could climb two at a time, or any other
way to get out of their reach. Each helper also.
had a pole planted near him, to climb when neces-
sary. Mr. Iliff had fifty-five thousand head, and all
as wild as buffaloes.

The most large horses I ever altered in one day
was sixty-six head for Lux & Miller, of San Fran-
cisco, Cal., on a farm fourteen miles wide on an
average, and over fifty miles long. I also spayed
a few cattle for them, out of their eighty thousand
head, and other stock in proportion. From there
I went to Pettaloma, Colo., and offered to castrate
the ‘‘man-eater’’ free of charge (it was an imported
Norman stallion seventeen hands high, that had
killed several men), but he was kept as a show
then, and I failed to get the job; but a month later
he was shot seven times and killed, while he had
his keeper, Prof. Tapp, down trying to kill him.

‘62 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

I felt proud to cast a very vicious ridgling horse
for Mr. Case, in the Veterinary College, London,
Eng., and castrated him in good order, before a
large crowd of veterinaries there, who always
treated me as kindly as if I was a veterinary my-
self, with a large diploma.

J have castrated in the veterinary colleges of
Paris, France; London, Eng.; Glasgow, Scotland ;
Montreal, Canada; Boston, Mass.; Chicago, IIl.,
and in other cities too numerous to mention. Ihave
spayed cows for the State of Pennsylvania, and
have castrated colts for the Baltimore & Ohio Rail-
road Company, two of the richest firms any cas-
trater ever worked for.

I felt pleased to be permitted by George Flem-
ing, i. M. RC. Vv. S. sto; alter one of Oueen Vic:
toria’s, Life (Guard: horses) inee 4olticharee) atnot
John’s Wood Barracks, London, before several of
England’s best veterinarians. He was a black,
bob-tailed number three ridgling. I did him in
good time and order, and did not draw ten drops
of blood. The horse was sound and well twelve
days after, which proved that the work was well
and properly done.

I went to England in September of 1878, to
spend three or four weeks only, and found it so
pleasant that I remained there one year. I have
most kind remembrances of the treatment I re-
ceived while in England and Ireland by the veter-
inary surgeons there, and of their universal kind
treatment and hospitality. Where I expected rival-
ry and competition, I found all helps and kind treat-

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 63

ment. I now wear a gold watch—a “mer—pre-
sented to me at Drawhada, Ireland, and inscribed
thereon as follows: ‘ Presented to Father Miles
by Messrs. Drummond and Jones, Veterinary Sur-
geons, in testimony of his ability as an operator
upon horses when in Ireland in May, A. D. 1879.”

I was also presented with the following, upon
parchment, which I call my English diploma: |

‘We, the undersigned veterinary surgeons,
practicing in the county of Lincoln, having wit-
nessed Mr. T. C. Miles’ operations upon ridgling
horses, desire to bear witness to the humane, scien-
tific and perfectly satisfactory manner in which he
attains his object. We also wish to express our
approval of his method of casting and securing the
animal, and of the instruments he uses in the per-
formance of the operation.”

This was signed by fifteen of the best veterinarians
in Central England, and sent to me most unexpect-
edly after my return home to Illinois, and for which,
both watch and diploma, I have often felt that it would
be a great pleasure to me if I could again meet those
gentlemen and say, ‘‘Thank you, thank you,”
several times to each one for the gratification and
pleasure you gave me.

The pictures in this book are of a horse bought
for the purpose of operating upon, and for giving
some final instructions to a class of pupils. He
was a double No. 3 ridgling. He was first cast
and tied as herein represented, and held upon the
ground, while twenty-four hands were inserted in
my cuts up to the bowels, for three minutes to each

64 ANIMAL CASTRATION, SPAYING

pupil, while examining the parts, as I progressed
in his castration. Of course he was as mercifully
treated as possible, and with clean hands, well
oiled. Still he was kept tied down for more than
an hour. However, he did well, and I considered
him sound and well the twelfth day after, with no
swelling of the sheath, as is common in castration
in that time, and was used daily while recov-
ering. He was not given the pint and a half of lin-
seed oil previously, as recommended, but was given
drachm doses of the castrating tincture promptly,
and was well opened twice a day for five days five
inches up in the groin on each side, and was trotted
around in our operating house twenty minutes after
each opening of the cuts, and I now think all opera-
tors on ridglings can safely and well perform all such
castrations, if they will strictly follow the contents
of this little book. I do not think any man will
fully understand these instructions by once reading
them, but it will be best to read them, short as
they are, until all are familiar; then put in practice
all tieing and rope work, until all is easy to do,
before the commencement of surgery. I feel sure
you will never regret the time lost in so doing.
There is money in it, and more sport and pleasure
in it than gunning where the game is plenty. My
pupils all declare there is nothing called business
so pleasant as to meet a crowd of gentlemen with
four or five ridglings to alter, and be able to nicely
cast, and tie, and castrate them in one hour, to the
satisfaction of all present, and then be paid one
hundred dollars cash in hand, and complimented for

AND AFTER TREATMENT. 65

their success. I have experienced this sensation
many times in life, and I also testify that it is
pleasant. Try it a few times. I think you will
like it more and more.

Believing I have given all of the necessary in-
formation upon this subject, I‘wish, before closing,
to say to all readers of this little book, as I gen-
erally say to the crowds of friendly spectators that
collect at the various places where I am called to
operate, and to those who help me in my work,
that surgery, whether upon man or beast, should
always be humane. We should always remember
that a horse is one of man’s nearest and best
friends and helpmates below his own race; that
God has given him to man to serve and obey ; to
be patient and kind to man. In return we should
remember that in sickness and health we should
care for this animal with a kindly heart and the
greatest sympathy. While he trusts man we hope
that man will not betray the confidence the noble
brute places in him, and in all kinds of surgical
operations it has been one of my highest aims and
ambitions to do the work skillfully and quickly, and
to cause as little pain as is possible with success.
We must remember that the poor creature is bound
and held at our mercy; that he, too, has nerves, suf-
fers pain and is entitled to all human kindness; and
I believe there is no greater crime in the annals of
inhumanity than the torture or recklessness which
may produce pain and suffering in this noble animal.
And I do hope and trust that all who may try to fol-
low my footsteps in the surgical part of this work

66 ANIMAL CASTRATION.

will also keep ever in mind that pain is severe ; that
animals suffer but can not speak or even cry to tell
us of their pain and sorrow. Never keep an ani-
mal fettered or bound a moment longer than is nec-
essary. Never produce pain that can be avoided.
In other words, always follow the golden rule in
your dealings with your best friend in the animal
kingdom.

Finally, good-by. God bless youall. Live right
and easy, and let us all try to meet in heaven. |
believe in God the Father, God the Scn and God
the Spirit, three in one. I believe as old Paul said
to the Athenians, the time of this ignorance God
winked at, but now commands all men everywhere
to repent. I think good works are good fruits for
believers to bear; but that Jesus Christ is the only
Savior of sinners, and that on the conditions that
we trust Him and try to obey Him.

Yours truly,
FARMER T. C. MILES.

CHARLESTON. [LLINOIs, Ueto.

ee |!\\\ii(\l

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

0 002 866 718

8