IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTRATING HORSES, AND IN THE INSTRUMENTS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Scott, of Craigends, Denniston, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTRATING
HORSES, AND IN THE INSTRUMENTS OR MEANS EMPLOYED THEREFOR" Partly
a communication from abroad by G. L. Matthew, of the City, County, and
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Scott at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st December 1880.
JOHN SCOTT, of Craigends, Denniston, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain.
IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTRATING HORSES, AND IN THE INSTRUMENTS OR MEANS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR." [Partly a communication from abroad by G. L. Matthew, of
the City, County, and State of New York, in the United States of North America.]
This Invention, which relates to improvements in castrating or gelding horses,
has for its object to enable the said operation. to be performed when the horse is
standing, instead of requiring the horse to be thrown and held on its back as at
present practised.
In castrating or gelding a horse according to this Invention, and by the instru-
ments or apparatus hereinafter described, the horse is placed with its back in a
corner or angle formed by the two meeting walls of any building or suitable erection,
against which the animal is held by a rope fastened to a collar placed on the
horse and passed through a ring in one of the walls.
In performing the castrating or gelding operation the scrotum is cut open by
a knife in the ordinary manner so as to expose the testicles, which drop out through,
and remain suspended at the outside by the cords or leading strings to which they
are attached. When in this position, in the case of old or full grown horses, a
clamp constituting one of the instruments is applied to both the ends of the
leading strings, after which the testicles are cut off. The clamps remain on for
such a time (usually about six hours), after which the cords or leading strings
being closed they are removed. Any of the ointments or liquids used in veterinary
surgery for hastening the closing or healing of arteries may be employed with the

page_text: said clamps, and in place of allowing the clamps to remain so long on the cords or
leading strings the upper parts of these, that is to say, above the clamps, may
be tied with a silk or other cord, in which case the clamps may be removed at
once. The clamps for this purpose consist of a pair of strips of wood or metal,
which are fastened together at one end, and over the other have a moveable
ferrule, so that they can be drawn together with the required degree of tightness.
In the case of castrating or gelding young horses the clamps are made preferably of
steel, and consist of two bars hinged together at one end. At the part which clamps
the cords or leading strings the clamps are formed with projecting pieces having
roughened edges which press upon and hold the cords or leading strings between
them, the opposite end of the clamps being provided with a screw for tightening
them. A spring-catch handle is provided, which clamps itself upon the testicle,
which is removed by twisting it round by the handle, or in place of twisting off
the testicles the cords or leading strings may be tied' by a thread of silk or other
material, after which the clamp is removed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th June 1881.
JOHN SCOTT, of Craigends, Denniston, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CASTRATING HORSES, AND IN THE INSTRUMENTS OR MEANS
EMPLOYED THEREFOR." Partly a communication from abroad by G. L. Matthew, of
the City, County, and State of New York, in the United States of North America.
The Invention relates to improvements in castrating or gelding horses, and has
for its object to enable the said operation to be performed when the horse is
standing, instead of requiring the horse to be thrown and held on its back as at
present practised.
In castrating or gelding a borse according to the said Invention, and by the
instruments or apparatus hereinafter described, the horse is placed with its back
in a corner or angle formed by the two meeting walls of any building or suitable
erection, against which the animal is held by a rope fastened to a collar placed on
the horse and passed through a ring in one of the walls.
In performing the castrating or gelding operation, the scrotum is cut open by a
knife in the ordinary manner so as to expose the testicles, which drop out through,
and remain suspended at the outside by the cords or leading strings to which they
are attached. When in this position, in the case of old or full grown horses, a
clamp, constituting one of the instruments for carrying the Invention into effect, is
applied to each of the cords or leading strings, after which the testicles are cut off.
The clamps remain on the leading strings for a time (usually about six hours),
after which, the cords or leading strings being closed, the said clamps are removed.
Any of the ointments or liquids used in veterinary surgery for hastening the
closing or healing of the arteries may be employed with the said clamps, and in
place of allowing the clamps to remain so long on the cords or leading strings, the
upper parts of these, that is to say, above the clamps, may be tied with a silk or
other cord, in which case the clamps may be removed at once. The clamps for
this purpose consist of a pair of strips of wood or metal, which are fastened
together at one end, and over the other have a moveable ferrule, so that they can
be drawn together with the required degree of tightness.
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate this clamp in its open and closed positions. It consists
of two limbs hinged or tied together at one end, each limb being at the other end
of a conical form, upon which conical ends the ferrule a (shewn separately in
Figures 3 and 4) is slipped to tighten up the clamp to cause it to clasp the leading
strings firmly.
In the case of castrating or gelding young horses, the clamps are made preferably
of steel, as illustrated in Figure 5, and consist of two bars b hinged together at
one end. At the part which clamps the cords or leading strings the bars are
respectively formed with a projecting piece c and a recessed part d, both having
roughened edges, which press upon and hold the cords or leading strings between
them, the opposite end of the bars being provided with a guide e and fixing screw f
for fixing them in position to clamp the leading strings. A portion of one of the
bars is shewn in edge view in Figure 6 to shew the roughened edge of the projecting
piece c, the meeting surface of the recessed part & being similarly roughened. A
spring catch handle is provided, illustrated in views at right angles the one to the
other in Figures 7 and 8. The jaws are roughened, as shewn in the plan thereof,
Figure 9, and are each provided with handles, and are hinged together at g, and a
spring his between the handles to force them apart and the jaws together. The
ends of the jaws project on both sides of the handle. The jaws are opened by
pressing the handles together, and when the handles are released the jaws meet

page_text: and clamp themselves upon the testicle, which is removed by twisting it round by
the instrument, or in place of twisting off the testicles the cords or leading strings
may be tied by a thread of silk or other material, after which the clamp, Figure 5,
is removed.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the system, mode, or manner, in or under which the same is or may
be used, or practically carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what
I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The improvements in castrating horses by the means essentially as herein-
before described, for the purpose of enabling the operation to be performed whilst
the horse is in a standing position.
Second. The instrument constructed essentially as herein before described and
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying Drawing for the purpose
described.
Third. The instrument constructed essentially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying Drawing for the purpose
described.
Fourth. The instrument constructed essentially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 7, 8, and 9 of the accompanying Drawing for the purpose
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Scott, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.