77/<? General Infections of the Genital Organs of Cattle 373 



Examination revealed bilateral spermatocystitis, with 

 other portions of the genital apparatus normal. Organs 

 excellent but copulation interfered with by considerable 

 pain on erection, evidently due to the sensitiveness of the 

 seminal vesicles. About ten mils, of apparently normal 

 semen were obtained, containing sperm cells of low motility. 

 Firm coagulum appeared within a few minutes. The head 

 parts did not stain well. The nucleus stained poorly. The 

 nuclear membrane was not well defined. 



The inefficiency of Bull 11 was so marked, especially in 

 contrast to other sires used in the herd, that his slaughter 

 was found advisable. Laboratory examination of the or- 

 gans, including testicles, epididymes and seminal vesicles, 

 revealed no macroscopical lesions. Cultures and smears 

 from these organs were negative. The sterility appeared 

 entirely referable to the changes occurring in the germinal 

 cells. The infection in the female was probably not specific, 

 but merely the result of lowered resistance or a predisposi- 

 tion on the part of the embryo to those organisms of low 

 vitality which ordinarily inhabit the female genital tract. 



Sterility of the bull may be directly due to conditions af- 

 fecting his general health, but is more frequently referable 

 to demonstrable pathologic conditions occurring either in 

 the germinal cells or in the glandular structures of the geni- 

 tal system. These changes may or may not be accompanied 

 by recognizable infection. The diversity of the bacteriologi- 

 cal findings of the genital glands and of the semen do not 

 clearly indicate the presence of a specific type of infection. 

 A streptococcus of the viridans type is most frequently 

 found. In the female genital organs of one herd which has 

 been subjected to numerous bacteriological studies, appar- 

 ently this organism predominates. In this herd the ovi- 

 ducts are most seriously involved. This usually follows 

 cervicitis which yields to treatment, while the tubal disease 

 defies all efforts at control. The bull is apparently an im- 

 portant, if not the chief factor in bringing about these con- 

 ditions. 



It is common to find morphological changes in the sperma- 



