Physical Injuries 65 



gles by a supposedly convalescent stallion to mares, apparently 

 through the genital canal, as abcesses formed in the pelvis about 

 the rectum and vagina. While abcesses occur in these parts 

 from the usual mode of infection, the observations of B. are 

 highly significant and interesting. 



In the infections cellulitis or " pink eye " of the horse (see page 

 68) with the prevailing orchitis in the stallion, the malady is 

 very liable to be transmitted through coition. In contagious 

 abortion, coition is quite generally regarded as one of the most 

 fruitful sources of dissemination, it being assumed that the spe- 

 cific microorganism is carried directly into its native habitat and 

 most favorable position for growth, upon the penis of the bull. 

 In one instance the author has seen actinomycosis of the uterus 

 and broad ligaments of a cow, resulting in her sterility, without 

 other discoverable actinomycotic lesions, which suggested the 

 probability of the infection having been lodged in the genital 

 canal by copulation. The dissemination of general contagions 

 through sexual contact applies e.specially to males kept for gen- 

 eral breeding service and serving females coming from a wide 

 area ; the arrival of females from so many different points tends 

 to carry any contagion to the breeding place, thence to be dis- 

 seminated by him to every part of the territory involved. 



If a healthy male escapes from an enclosure, wanders from home 

 and contracts a disease, he carries it back and exposes the other 

 animals of his species ; if diseased and he wanders into a neigh- 

 boring healthy group of breeding animals, he carries the infec- 

 tion to them. Similarl}' a female, especially when in cstrum, may 

 prove an important disseminator of contagion. 



It is, therefore, well to consider the breeding place as one of 

 the most important of distributing points for contagious diseases 

 of animals and the veterinarian should constantly regard it as 

 such and be in a position to direct capably how the dangers may 

 be reduced to a minimum. When a breeder has an adequate 

 number of females to warrant the keeping of a breeding male 

 of the desired quality for his own use, it is good economy to do 

 so, to breed all his females to the one male and to accept no 

 females from outside for breeding. This is only rarely practi- 

 cable. When breeding males are kept for public service, the 

 females offered for breeding should be rigidly scrutinized. Not only 

 5 



