INFLAMMATION OF THE PREPUCE. 651 



DISEASES OF THE MALE ORGANS OF 

 GENERATION. 



I.— INFLAMMATION OF THE PREPUCE. 



The prepuce, consisting of a duplicature of the skin, is liable 

 to inflammatory changes, which present very notable differences 

 in symptoms, course, and results, in the various classes of animals. 



Inflammation of the sheath (acrobystitis or posthitis) and 

 inflammation of the glans penis (balanitis), may exist separately 

 in the horse, but in the dog and bull they are often associated, 

 constituting balano-posthitis. 



(1.) INFLAMMATION OF THE PREPUCE IN THE 

 HORSE. 



In the horse the covering of the penis is peculiar in that it consists of 

 a double involution of the skin, that is, it is formed of an inner fold (prepuce 

 in the narrow sense of the word) and of an outer, the so-called sheath. 

 The visceral portion of the first covers the end of the penis, clothing it 

 closely, and lying, when the penis is not erected, in folds, but these disappear 

 on erection. The outer fold forms a layer as thick as the finger, attached 

 to the under surface of the member by the inner fold of the sheath ; the 

 latter presents a second considerably thicker covering, which is reflected 

 backwards at the entrance to the sheath, to become continuous with the 

 skin of the scrotum. The inner lining of the sheath and the outer fold 

 of the prepuce are provided with numerous sebaceous and sweat glands, 

 the secretions of which, together with the loosened masses of epidermis, 

 form a blackish-grey fat-like material (smegma preputii). 



In horses inflammation of the prepuce is not infrequently produced 

 by the animals failing to extend the penis during urination, and 

 discharging the urine into the prepuce. This produces continuous 

 irritation, thickening and subsequent contraction of the folds of 

 skin, and finally stenosis of the outer folds of the sheath, which 

 renders it impossible for the animal to expose the penis (phymosis). 

 As in this condition more smegma always accumulates, the escape 

 of urine may finally be seriously interfered with. Sometimes a large 

 quantity of the material accumulates around the corona glandis, 

 filling the sub-urethral sinus and rendering urination difficult. Cases 

 of the kind are common. Colic, distension of the bladder, and 

 ineffectual straining to pass urine, set in ; sometimes urine is only 



