38 6 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



soft. So far as known, the disease is always bilateral and 

 apparently dates back to infection during the nursing pe- 

 riod, as described under orchitis. The condition, which is 

 beyond remedy, can be prevented only by the protection of 

 the young calf against the inroads of infection. This will 

 be more fully discussed under the infections of new-born 

 calves. 



2. Chronic Indurated Epididymal Abscesses of Calves 



I have observed one instance, in a young bull of poten- 

 tially great value, a long-standing, indurated abscess in the 

 globus minor of each epididymis. The bull, well developed 

 in all respects, was very vigorous and copulated freely, but 

 was absolutely sterile from the beginning. Physical exam- 

 ination revealed a hard enlargement, one inch or more in 

 diameter, in the globus minor of each testicle. Tuberculosis 

 of the epididymis was suspected, but he failed to react to 

 the tuberculin test. One of the glands was then removed 

 for examination. The epididymis was found to contain a 

 small abscess with indurated walls, which had something 

 of the appearance of a tubercular abscess but was without 

 calcification, and no tubercle bacilli could be found. Later 

 the bull was slaughtered and the other testicle was found to 

 be essentially identical. 



The diagnosis of chronic indurated abscess of the epidid- 

 ymis is comparatively simple. So far as we know, the ab- 

 scess is most liable to occur in the globus minor, which in 

 the bull projects beyond the lower end of the testicles on its 

 posterior surface, where it is very readily palpated. If any 

 doubt arises on the part of an inexperienced examiner, the 

 comparison of the diseased epididymis with that of a healthy 

 animal at once reveals the great departure from physiologic 

 condition. Both the enlargement and the hardness are well 

 marked and not readily mistaken for anything else. Should 

 the abscesses occur at other points in the epididymis, they 

 are quickly recognized by the same general symptoms. The 

 head of the epididymis is readily palpated except for the 

 covering of the cremaster, as shown in Fig. 2 on page 5. 



