190 CAUSES, SYMPTOMS AND TREATMENT OF 



place frorr. injury, when the inflammation is prolonged, but not very 

 severe ; for when any serious membrane is injured, there is more or 

 less effusion ; the scrotum is enlarged, and you can feel the testicle, 

 which does not seem increased in size. The scrotum may be distended 

 by hydrocele, or hernia, and in gildings from an enlarged condition 

 of the cord. If there is much fluid present, you must puncture with 

 a small trochar— something like the one used in human practice. 

 After this give iodide of potassium internally and use iodine exter- 

 nally. It is recommended to inject the tunica vaginalis with iodine, 

 but there is danger of producing irritation. 



Diseases of the Scrotum. — These can generally be traced to some 

 diseased condition of the spermatic cord, the result of castration — as 

 scirrhous cord, abscesses, fistula, etc. Scirrhous cord may come in 

 two or three weeks after castration, or it may come years after the 

 operation. Abscesses may be caused by a foreign body, or may be 

 due to the scrotum closing up before the cord is completely healed ; 

 matter is formed at the cord, it becomes dry, sets up irritation and 

 results in an abscess ; and when due to this, it generally appears about 

 three or four weeks after the operation. And it may be due to the 

 incision not having been made large enough. So I again recommend 

 a pretty large incision. It may come from a small piece of the iron 

 remaining in the wound, if actual cautery was used. Or it may be 

 due to a ligature setting up irritation, and the ligature should be left 

 long, so it can be removed. Abscesses generally seriously interfere 

 with the condition of the animal ; he is* gradually reduced in flesh ; 

 the swelling seems to involve other parts — sometimes it extends right 

 down to the hock, and sometimes you may think there is not much 

 matter, but it may be present and be two or three inches into it. The 

 best thing is to throw the animal and open it up pretty freely — you 

 may have to cut in three or four inches. Then keep it open, foment 

 the parts and feed the animal well. If you open them well and let 

 the matter escape freely, it generally effects a cure ; but they form 

 again and again. We are apt to treat them without opening them ; 

 but it is not the proper way. I believe horses are * sometimes lost by 

 this negligence and delay. After opening, inject well with tepid 

 ws.ter, and even with carbolic acid, and if he is debilitated, give tonics. 



Injuries to tlie Penis, — This occurs to both geldings and stallions. 

 In tlie stallion it may be due to mal-address, causing irritation and 

 inflammation ; or being kicked when it is erected — this is very apt to 

 be followed by inflammation — striking with whip, stick, etc., and is 

 occasionally the result of exposure to cold. This sometimes occurs 

 with geldings until they are unable to retract it into the sheath, and 

 this is called 



Piiraphymosis, and it is sometimes due to the muscular tissue 

 losing its power of contraction. This may be the case if a horse is put 

 to too many mares. But I will speak of that caused by injury. If 

 the penis protrudes for any length of time, the sheath restricts it, and 

 sometimes becomes enormously extended, and ulceration is likely to 

 follow if not relieved. 



Treatment. — If it is of only one or two days' standing, try fomenta- 

 tions—warm water, in this case, perhaps, is preferable to cold, al- 

 though cold causes contraction of muscular fibres. In this case it is 

 so swollen that it could not be contracted, and the swelling must be 

 reduced some before ijb can be contracted, and, in some cases, it is 

 necessary to scarify it in two or three places, even, in some cases, 

 before trying the warm water. When scarified it will bleed, and you 



