314 



poultice of tobacco leaves is a favorite remedy, and may be used to 

 soothe th6 sore after cauterization. (Spl. Rpt. Horse, Dept. Agr. 

 1911.) 



DISEASES OF THE GENERATIVE ORGANS. 



CONGESTION AND INFLAMMATION OF THE TESTICLES, OR ORCHITIS. 



In the prime of life, in vigorous health, and on stimulating 

 food, stallions are subject to congestion of the testicles, which become 

 swollen, hot, and tender, but without any active inflammation. A 

 reduction of the grain in the feed, the administration of 1 or 2 

 ounces of Glauber's salts daily in the food, and the bathing of the af- 

 fected organs daily with tepid water or alum water will usually re- 

 etore them to a healthy condition. 



When the factors producing congestion are extraordinarily po- 

 tent, when there has been frequent copulation and heavy grain feed- 

 ing, when the weather is warm and the animal has had little exercise, 

 and when the proximity of other horses or mares excites the gene- 

 rative instinct without gratification, this congestion may grow to 

 actual inflammation. Among the other causes of orchitis are blows 

 and penetrating wounds implicating the testicles, abrasions of the 

 scrotum by a chain or rope passing inside the thigh, contusions and 

 frictions on the gland under rapid paces or heavy draft, compression 

 of the blood vessels of the spermatic cord by the inguinal ring under 

 the same circumstances, and finally, sympathetic disturbance in cases 

 of disease of the kidneys, bladder, or urethra. Stimulants of the 

 generative functions, like cantharides, and damiana, may also be ac- 

 cessory causes of congestion and inflammation. Finally, certain spe- 

 cific diseases like maladie du coit, glanders, and tuberculosis, local- 

 ized in the testicles, will cause inflammation. 



Symptoms. Apart from actual wounds on the parts, the symp- 

 toms of orchitis are swelling, heat, and tenderness of the testicles, 

 straddling with the hind legs alike in standing and walking, stiff- 

 ness and dragging of the hind limbs or of the limb on the affected 

 side, arching of the loins, abdominal pain, manifested by glancing 

 back at the flank, with more or less fever, elevated body temperature, 

 accelerated pulse and breathing, and dullness. In bad cases the 

 scanty urine may be reddish and the swelling may extend to the 

 skin and envelopes of the testicles, which may become thickened and 

 doughy, pitting on pressure. The swelling may be so great along 

 the upper border of the testicle as to suggest the presence of a second 

 stone. Even in the more violent attacks the intense suffering abates 

 somewhat on the second or third day. If it lasts longer it is likely to 

 give rise to the formation of matter. In exceptional cases the testicle 

 is struck with gangrene, or death. Improvement may go on slowly to 

 complete recovery, or the malady may subside into a subacute and 

 chronic form with induration. Matter may be recognized by the pres- 

 ence of a soft spot, where pressure with two fingers will detect fluctua- 

 tion from one to the other. When there is liquid exudation into the 

 scrotum, or sac, fluctuation may also be felt, but the liquid can be 

 made out to be around the testicle and can be pressed up into the 



