Degenerative Epididymitis of Calves 385 



most direct and radical method of handling is castration. 

 When only one gland is involved, its removal does not inter- 

 fere with the animal's fertility and affords the best and 

 promptest remedy that we possess. In castrating such an 

 animal it is to be remembered that the gland is generally 

 adherent to the parietal peritoneum of the scrotum and, 

 through it, to the cremaster and its fascia. Therefore it is 

 more convenient, as well as less dangerous, to castrate by 

 the covered operation. In this operation the skin and dartos 

 are freely incised at the lowest part of the scrotum and a 

 separation made with the handle of the scalpel, or with the 

 fingers, between the dartos and the cremasteric fascia up 

 to the inguinal canal. A ligature is then applied to the 

 spermatic cord covered by the cremaster muscle, and the 

 testicle, with its coverings, cut away an inch or two beyond 

 the point of ligation. The ligature should preferably be of 

 heavy chromatized catgut with a durability of about twenty 

 days. 



B. Epididymitis 



1. Degenerative Epididymitis of Calves. Arrest in 



Development 



In the preceding article upon degenerative orchitis in 

 calves, it has been mentioned that, when that disease occurs, 

 the epididymis ordinarily participates in the pathologic 

 changes. From what I have been able to observe, the epi- 

 didymitis is probably the more important and primary 

 lesion. 



There are no outstanding clinical symptoms beyond those 

 already described under orchitis. So far as has been ob- 

 served, the calf as a nursling presents no symptoms which 

 attract any attention. This may be due to the fact that, 

 since the testicles of calves are not observed, changes which 

 are perfectly visible may occur without being noted. When 

 the calf comes to breeding age, he is found to be sterile and 

 when examined critically, as already stated under orchitis, 

 the testicles, with the epididymes, are found to be small and 

 ?5 



