right ovary, which it draws through the opening; a ligature is then passed round this one, and the left ovary felt for in like manner. The operator then severs off these two ovaries, either by cutting or tearing, and returns the womb and its appurtenances to their proper position. This being done, he closes up the womb with two or three stitches, sometimes rubs a little oil over it, and releases his patient, and all generally goes on well; for the healing power of the pig is very great, as the following fact will testify.
Mr. Thomson, veterinary surgeon at Beith, N. B., was castrating a pig, and while cutting through the peritoneum, one of the assistants lost his hold, and the animal sprang up. The scalpel was plunged deep into the belly, entered one of the convolutions of the ileum, and divided one of the guts almost through, besides making a wound in the mesentery. Mr. Thomson sewed up the mesentery with a fine needle and thread, and restored it to its place, and secured the side with firm stitches—not, however, with much hope of seeing his patient recover. But, to his surprise, two days afterwards little appeared to be the matter, and in a short time the animal was well.
The after treatment is very simple. The animals should be well littered with clean litter, in styes weather-tight and thoroughly ventilated; their diet should be attended to; sour milk or whey, with barley-meal, is an excellent thing to give at these times; it is well to confine them for a few days, as they should be prevented from getting into cold water or mud until the wound is perfectly healed, and also from creeping through hedges or fences.
The best age for spaying a sow is about six weeks; indeed, as a general axiom, the younger the animal is castrated the better it gets over the operation, which is seldom attended by fatal results. Some persons, however, have two or three litters from their sows before they operate upon them; where this is the case, the consequences are more to be feared, as the parts have become more susceptible, and are consequently more liable to take on inflammation. Lisle says: "Where this is done, it is best to spay a sow two or three days before her litter of pigs are weaned, because then, if harm follows the operation, the young ones will draw off the venom."
CATCHING AND HOLDING THE PIG.
Swine are very difficult animals to obtain any mastery over, or to operate on or examine. Seldom tame or easily handled, they are at such periods most unmanageable, kicking, screaming, and even biting fiercely. Hurtrel d'Arboval recommends the following means of getting hold of them:—"Fasten a double cord to the end of a stick, and beneath the stick let there be a running noose in this
