NYMPHOMANIA 685 



NYMPHOMANIA (EXCESSIVE SEXUAL DESIRE) 



This is a condition in which the animal is subject to excessive 

 nervous irritabihty of the generative organs. The sow so affected 

 is continuously in heat, but never becomes pregnant. She will 

 breed every day, but never receives any benefit from it. The 

 condition is usually due to disease of the ovary or of the ner- 

 vous system. Being continuously in heat, the sow eats poorly, is 

 constantly running herself down, and rapidly becomes unthrifty. 

 Such an animal is decidedly unprofitable to her owner. She not 

 only does no good herself, but excites other sows in the herd, and 

 keeps them in a restless condition by fighting with them and 

 attempting to ride them. Frequently pregnant sows abort as a 

 result of being kept in the same feed lot with an animal suffering 

 from nymphomania. The best method of dealing with these cases 

 is to immediately dispose of the animal. If she be a valuable sow, 

 she may be placed in a dark pen away from other hogs and kept 

 quiet. An excellent remedy in these cases is salix nigra, which 

 should be administered in large doses. I have relieved many cases 

 in man and in animal by proper use of this drug. The most reli- 

 able preparation of the drug that I have been able to obtain is the 

 specific medicine (Lloyd Bros.). Of this a teaspoonful should be 

 given in the slop three times a day for a period of one or two weeks. 

 Combining the use of this drug with separation of the sow from the 

 balance of the herd will give good results in any case that it is 

 possible to relieve. To quiet general nervousness, as well as to 

 overcome the unnatural sexual desire, potassium bromid may also 

 be given in ^-teaspoonful doses. In valuable brood sows of pure- 

 bred stock it might be desirable to have a spaying operation done 

 and remove the diseased ovary. If one good ovary can be left the 

 animal will breed. 



Male animals may also develop a condition very similar to that 

 just described in the sow. They have an unnaturally powerful 

 sexual desire, and are continuously riding the sows in the lot regard- 

 less of whether they be in heat or not. These cases should be 

 treated in the same manner. Separate the boar from the sows and 

 place him on full doses of potassium bromid and specific medicine 

 salix nigra. 



