CRYPTORCHIDISM. 



215 



The significance of all these conditions is self-evident. Both 

 anorchidism and defective development of both testicles make the 

 animal useless for stud purposes. The same is usually also true of 

 cryptorchismus, for testicles when retained in the abdominal cavity 



P.T. L.B. P.V. P.A. 



Fig. 245. — Transverse section in a perpendicular plane through the pos- 

 terior abdominal region, together with a part of the supralumbar, iliac, 

 and prepubic regions (normal). 



p.t. Peritoneum, p.a. Branch of prepubic artery, p. v. Branch of 

 prepubic vein, tt.a.k. Upper Abdominal ring. s.c. Spermatic cord. 

 v.d. Vas deferens, p.l. Poupart's ligament, turned downwards, the 

 deep surface visible, l.a. Long adductor of the thigh, l.i.f. Lumbo- 

 iliac fascia, i. Uiacus. p.m. Psoas magnus. t.p.p. Tendon of the 

 psoas parvus, p. Pelvis, r. Rectum, bl. Bladder, l.b. Lateral liga- 

 ments of the bladder with the obliterated umbilical artery, o.a.i. 

 Internal oblique abdominal muscle. c. Cremaster. c.t. Layer of 

 connective tissue which surrounds the upper border of Poupart's 

 ligament, the posterior margin of the internal oblique abdominal muscle, 

 the cremaster, and the peritoneum. 



are generally atrophic, lax, and either contain degenerated sper- 

 matozoa or none at all ; on the other hand, retained testicles some- 

 times yield abundance of spermatozoa. The question of the fertility 

 of cryptorchids was first raised by Gurlt when studying the function 

 of the spermatozoa ; his experiments seem to deny fertilising power 



