Orchitis in Adult Bulls 379 



tides as a result of the vibration of the car. He supported 

 the plea by the evidence of numerous veterinarians with 

 such success as to cause a mis-trial of the case. 



The condition, once established, is evidently beyond rem- 

 edy. If my view of its origin is correct, it can generally, if 

 not always, be prevented by the proper handling of young 

 calves. 



2. Orchitis in Adult Bulls 



I have not observed, and have not found described in adult 

 bulls a degenerative orchitis with desquamation of the 

 spermatogenetic epithelium with flaccidity of the testicle, 

 as described above in bull calves. This is probably, if not 

 certainly, due to the absence of careful study. It would be 

 difficult to assume that bacteria causing the destruction of 

 the spermatogenetic cells in calves may not also invade and 

 cause similar injury to the adult testicles. There would be 

 differences, however, in the results from the invasions at 

 two separate epochs. Doubtless there is a difference of re- 

 sistance. The essentials are that there shall be a type of 

 organism which may invade the tubuli seminiferi and cause 

 a slow disintegration of their lining cells without arousing 

 the classic signs of inflammation, "heat, pain, redness and 

 swelling," and impotent to cause abscessation or total ne- 

 crosis. 



Clinical data are at hand which warrant the tentative 

 conclusion that such degenerative or desquamative orchitis 

 exists frequently and is serious. Some bulls demonstrate 

 moderate fertility at the commencement of their breeding 

 career, but show upon close study a slowly advancing, in- 

 sidious sterility. At first the difficulty is ascribed to the 

 cows. The bull appears well, has normal sexual desire, and 

 copulates eagerly. In large herds where several sires are 

 kept, a comparative study of his breeding shows him to be 

 less fertile than other bulls under analogous conditions. 

 Further study reveals the fact that his pregnancies are less 

 secure, so that, while the general rate of observed expulsion 

 of fetal cadavers is, for example, 10 per cent., his rate is 20 



