7S Diseases of the Genital Organs 



vagina, measured, and a fair approximation of the volume 

 of semen ejaculated obtained. If the vagina has not been 

 cleaned out immediately prior to coitus, no accurate idea 

 can be had of the volume of the semen because there may be 

 several ounces of thin mucus or other fluid lying in the 

 vagina. Studied under this plan, the bull ejaculates as a 

 rule 6 to 8 mils of semen at a copulation. The semen con- 

 sists largely of the secretions from the seminal vesicles and 

 prostate gland in which the spermatozoa swim freely. If 

 the spermatozoa are dead immediately after ejaculation, 

 that is conclusive evidence of sterility but does not reveal 

 the cause of the sperm death. Living spermatozoa, how- 

 ever abundant, do not afford final proof of fertility. Sperm- 

 atozoa may be suffering from disease and their elements 

 undergoing disintegration and death. Or there may be 

 bacteria ejaculated in the semen capable of causing the 

 death of most or all spermatozoa. It is accordingly essential 

 to accurate diagnosis that the spermatozoa shall be so pre- 

 pared by staining and otherwise that their structural de- 

 tails may be carefully and effectively studied. The various 

 parts need to be rendered clear so that any commencing de- 

 generation may be detected. 



The degeneration of the spermatozoa and their capacity 

 to fertilize is not the end of the question. There is striking 

 clinical evidence that stallions, apparently in good general 

 health, transmit venereally to mares the infection of epizoo- 

 tic cellulitis or "pink eye" and at the same time prohibit fer- 

 tilization. Some sterile bulls apparently render sterile the 

 females which they have unsuccessfully served. 



It is important that the copulatory act be closely observed 

 so as to determine whether it is normal — that there is the 

 normal sexual desire and ejaculation, followed by normal 

 relaxation. Any hesitancy in copulation should be carefully 

 noted and its cause determined if possible. Imperfect coitus 

 may arise from physical difficulty in mounting the female 

 due to painful diseases of the hind feet or limbs, or to paral- 

 ysis. The difficulty may be due to mechanical interferences 

 with the protrusion of the penis. In other instances there is 



