Tuberculosis of the Female Genitalia 337 



tubercles, as shown in Figures 102, 103, 105 and 106, but the 

 adherent, encapsulated gland resists invasion. 



Ovarian tuberculosis can not, in my experience, be directly 

 and positively diagnosed clinically. Clinical diagnosis is not 

 highly important, since ovarian invasion rarely, if ever, oc- 

 curs without tubal and uterine tuberculosis, each of which 

 is open to reasonably safe clinical diagnosis. So far as I 

 am aware, ovarian tuberculosis induces no clinical symp- 

 toms. There is a definite impression given in veterinary 

 literature that ovarian tuberculosis sometimes causes ster- 

 ility, but there is no evidence submitted. So far as I have 

 seen, it is the coexisting or preexisting tubal and uter- 

 ine tuberculosis which causes the sterility. Statements oc- 

 cur also (Huytra and Marek, Law) that genital tuberculo- 

 sis, either through the invasion of the ovaries or otherwise, 

 induces nymphomania. No evidence is submitted upon the 

 point. The power of tuberculosis of any portion of the 

 genital tract to cause nymphomania is probably pure legend. 

 A careful study of nymphomania shows it to be due to a 

 definite type of cystic degeneration of the ovary, wholly de- 

 void of any trace of relation to tuberculosis. Genital tuber- 

 culosis and the nymphomaniacal type of ovarian cyst may 

 coexist, but that is not evidence of either identity or rela- 

 tionship. 



(2) Tubal tuberculosis is, next to uterine tuberculosis, 

 the commonest type observed in the genitalia of cattle. In 

 many specimens, the appearances suggest that the infection 

 has invaded the oviducts centrifugally from the peritoneal 

 cavity through the pavilion. In other instances of even 

 severe uterine tuberculosis, the oviducts are free. Tuber- 

 culous oviducts are usually recognizable by rectal palpation. 

 They become enlarged and very hard. Generally they are 

 adherent and studded over with large tubercles. The tuber- 

 culous tubes vary in transverse diameter up to 0.5 inches or 

 over. When much enlarged, they become elongated and 

 thrown into folds lying in front of and lateral to the ovary, 

 as shown in Figures 103-106 inclusive. The disease may be 



22 



