Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-01-15
CLinnstone,s Condition.

This department of the GLOBE has al
ready mentioned, in brief, the facts in ref
erence to the surgical operati on recently
performed upon the trotting gelding
Clingtone, 2:14, but the character of the
operation, and the causes making it neces-
sary, are so little understood by breed
ers and owners generally, that
we to-day give the state
ments of Mr.. W. J. Gordon, owner of the
horse, and of DR.. W. G. Fair, who per-
formed the operation, made to the Spirit
of the Times, in response to inquiries, as
follows:
Mr.. W. j. GoRDoN's EXPLANATION.
CLEVELAND, o., Jan. 2.-I have delayed te
plying to your favor, requesting particulars of
Clingstone's condition and recent illness, in
hopes to enclose at same time DR.. Fairs profes-
sional statement of the surgical operation that
he has so skillfully and successfully performed
upon him recently The general facts, however,
are that, owing to calelessness IN castrating the
horse, when about two years old, one of the
cords was clamped with and grown to the skin of
the scrotum, and instead Of this cord being re-
leased and contracting back within the abdomen,
it has been pulling to and fro with every step
he took for the past five years, producing irTita-
ton, soreness, and, finally, pure ibrous tumor
at the end Of the cord, which, upon removal,
weighe twenUy-four ounces.
Nothing was known of the existence of this
tumor until Nov. 10 last. Some discharge of
pus from the groin was noticed the day before
by Mr.. Saunders, when ne informed me that a
similar discharge had occurred last June at East
Saginaw, Mich, but by the prompt use of as
friOO hn hat ppaSad bn
thought it was a trifing matter, and said nothing
about it to me or anyone.
Mr.. Pond (his former owner has just written
to me that he had had an experience with Cling
stone, similar to that of Mr.. Saunders, without
considering it Of any special Importance, and
until now supposed it to have been the result of
plnk-eye, but soon as | was advised of it had
DR.. Fair make a critical examination. He at
once discovered the tumor, and upon being in
formed that he had successfully oper-
ated upon sixty or seventy similar
cases in the course of his pract ce,
without a single failure, at oncs decided to
have him operate on Clingstone, as soon as the
horse could be properly prepared, which he did,
IN the most satisfactory manner, on Nov. %,
cutting the cord well above the tumor and
where the muscular tissue was in perfect healt i,
and thus lnsurlng perfect and permanent relief.
His recovery has been rapid and satisfactory in
every way, and he now feels and acts better
than he ever has since owned him. He re-
covered soon after his return here in September,
from the interfering injury received at Fleet
wood, and has not at any time suffered from II
sore throat, as has been reported.
1t seems bat reasonable to conclude that If
this horse had not been so seriously handicap
ped he could have easily beaten his Cleveland
record of 2:iE. 1t now being known that he
had seriously debilitated by wearing close
sheet-copper nuzzle for seven weeks prior to his
Il tC n fi,rC L.
and painful tumor.
DIR. W. c. FAIRS SCIENTIFIC STATEMENT.
Your letter, requesting written statement of
Chngstone's illness, was duly received. Nv
first knowledge of the matter was on the 18th of
November last. Mr.. George W. Saunders then
informed me that slight discharge of pus was
coming from his groin. The following day 1
made careful examination of him, and found
large tbrous tumor on the spermatic cord.
firmly adherert to the scrotum, extending as
high up the abdominal ring, with small
fstulous opening at the lower end, discharginp q
small quantity of pus
l reported his condition to Dir. Gordon, and
recommended an operation, which was consented
to, with instructions to proceed as soon as ad
visable.
Prepared the animal for the operation bv
feeding him no bulky feed, and'restricted his
die to cooling laxatives for three days.
Nov. 2, we cast him, and secured him firmly.
1 then proceeded to operate, with the assistance
of my business associate, DR.. R. C. Hutchings.
1 disSeeted the tumor from the surrounding scro-
tom. taking care 60 as high up above the tumor
as )ssible. placed the fat clam on the healthy
spe ..ie cor, removing all the tumor and one
inc dld 'e.sf of the healthy cord. 1 cauterized
the end cord, igatured the arteries, and
i'm nsdia;elv released him.
Cingstone exhibited great courage during,
the operation.
TIE tumor was purely Of a fbrous composition,