74 Diseases of the Genital Organs 



1. The Testicles 



The testicles are to be examined with reference to loca- 

 tion, position, volume, consistence, clearness of outline, and 

 evidences of heat, pain, and swelling. 



It is a well established clinical principle that, in order to 

 be fertile, there must be one testicle in the scrotum. It is 

 desirable that both glands be in the scrotum because when 

 one is retained, owing to arrest in development, the progeny 

 are liable to inherit the defect. The testicles of the foal and 

 the calf should be in the scrotum at birth. The position of 

 the testicle apparently matters but little ; at least occasion- 

 ally the testicle of the stallion is observed to be rotated on 

 its transverse axis so that the tail of the epididymis presents 

 forward, without apparent detriment. In one bull, the tail 

 of the testicle was caught well up in the posterior part of the 

 scrotal sac and the large end of the gland tipped forward to 

 come to rest in the position of the stallion testicle. 



In volume, the two testicles of the horse are rarely alike. 

 Usually the right gland is clearly the larger. In ruminants 

 the two glands are more nearly alike. The size varies with 

 the size of the animal, the breed, the age, and the individual. 

 It is only when the glands depart widely from the average 

 volume that their size becomes significant. Even then the 

 size needs to be considered with the consistence. They be- 

 come enlarged in orchitis, abscessation, etc. When arrest in 

 development has occurred, they are usually abnormally small. 



The consistence of the testicle is highly important. Phys- 

 iologically the gland is very firm and tense and its contour 

 is clear and definite. The testicle may, from inflammation, 

 become hard and unyielding, or in advanced abscessation, 

 soft and fluctuating. In arrest in development the testicle 

 is generally small and flaccid. This is commonly so in the ab- 

 dominal testicle but is observed also in arrest in development 

 of scrotal testicles. Such testes do not form spermotozoa 

 but do (commonly, at least) induce sex reflex. If a healthy 

 male of similar age and size is available for comparison, the 

 examination may thus be rendered more accurate. 



