Torsion of the Testicle 181 



the spermatic cord in the inguinal canal permits part of the 

 torsion to occur within the abdomen, so that the twist need 

 not be great at any one point. In man the torsion is said 

 to occur frequently where the gland is caught in the inguinal 

 canal. Just how it can revolve in the inguinal canal, I fail 

 to understand. Inguinal cryptorchidy is familiar to veteri- 

 narians, but torsion is rarely, if ever, recognized in these 

 cases. I have observed but one instance of torsion which 

 was of consequence. In an adult cryptorchid presented for 

 castration, I quickly recognized a state of affairs new to 

 me, finally recognized what I believed to be the vas deferens, 

 traced this to what appeared to be the testicle, and then ap- 

 plied traction in an effort to bring the gland out through the 

 wound. Finally an attachment unexpectedly parted, and a 

 large, livid-colored testicle was brought out. The spermatic 

 cord was spiral, the circulation had been barred, and the 

 cord and testicle were necrotic. The cord was so weakened 

 at the chief point of torsion that it gave way at that point. 

 O'Connor, cited above, believes the chief cause of torsion to 

 be the irregular contraction of muscle bundles in the cre- 

 master, but, in my case with the testicle in the abdomen, 

 such an explanation can not be accepted, as the cremaster 

 does not come into play or become visibly developed until 

 the testicle descends into the scrotum. A study of Fig. 1 

 will show how a cryptorchid testicle could readily revolve 

 upon its transverse axis. The testicle of the ruminant, 

 moored throughout by the mesorchium to the wall of the 

 scrotum, can not possibly, so far as I can see, revolve upon 

 either of its axes. The possibility of serious torsion of the 

 spermatic cord should be borne in mind. 



H. Traumatic Orchitis 



According to many veterinary authors, orchitis in animals 

 is due largely to traumatism. Professor Hendricks 1 empha- 

 sizes the belief in trauma as a cause of orchitis and considers 

 that most cases of inflammation of the testicles are due to 

 mechanical injuries. It is an open question, however, to 



^andbuch der tierartzl. Chirurgie u. Geburtshilfe, III Band. 



