522 DISEASES OF THE ORGANS OF GENERATION. 



another reason for the rarity of disorder of the sexual parts ; 

 at the same time that it accounts in some measure for the 

 difference between our own circumscribed list of the dis- 

 eases of these parts and the comparatively extended one 

 presented to us by veterinarians of those countries in which 

 castration is not generally practised. 



D'Arboval, with disgust and indignation, repudiates the 

 idea of animals being the subjects of syphilis. He justly 

 observes, that we now well know that lues venerea is a dis- 

 ease peculiar to man ; that it can have but one and that a 

 specific origin ; and that, for animals to contract the disor- 

 der we must suppose an intercourse between them and 

 human beings at once of the most unnatural and revolting 

 character : adding, however, that such monstrous acts 

 have been known to take place, although, as far as the 

 animal — especially the horse — is concerned, connection with 

 any other than its own species and like, is, throughout 

 nature, observed to be most abhorrent. Notwithstanding 

 this admitted fact, and notwithstanding the assertion raised 

 upon it by some one or more continental veterinarians, that 

 the horse has been seen affected by syphilis, D'Arboval still 

 maintains his disbelief in any such doctrines, and is only 

 surprised that the College at Alfort should have counte- 

 nanced them. His words are — " I have not passed through 

 a long course of practice without meeting with cases which 

 biassed minds might have taken for syphilis. I have had 

 occasion particularly to observe and to treat irritations, in- 

 flammations, paraphymoses, discharges, ulcerations, &c. I 

 have even remarked an obstinacy in some of these genital 

 affections, with sympathetic swelling of the inguinal glands, 

 and of one or both testicles, without, for all that, entertain- 

 ing any notion of the disease being syphilitic. So far from 

 it, I have always been contented with simple antiplilogistic 

 treatment, modified as circumstances required ; and I 

 have never had cause to repent of not having introduced 

 mercurials.'^ 



