158 Veterinary Obstetrics 



ing the gland to such a degree as to compromise the formation 

 or persistence of normal ovarian parenchyma, ovulation from the 

 affected gland does not appear and sexual desire is not induced 

 by the presence of such glands, though, if one be normal and 

 the other has undergone aberration, estruni and even fertiliza- 

 tion may result from the presence of the one normal ovary. 



Calcareous degeneration of the ovaries may occur as a con- 

 genital defect, the gland assuming a variable form and size and 

 consisting essentially of a mass of calcareous matter devoid of 

 proper ovarian tissue. The condition leads to sterility and ab- 

 sence of sexual de.sire. 



In many cases of arrested development of the ovaries, the sex- 

 ual desire and attributes are wholly absent. In most instances 

 of the undeveloped ovaries, except in hybrids, the condition may 

 be suspected by the diminutive .size of the vulva. In ca.ses of 

 dermoid cysts and congenital calcification of the ovaries, the con- 

 dition may, usually, be determined by rectal or vaginal explora- 

 tion. 



This group of affections is essentially incurable, from a breed- 

 ing .standpoint. When the ovaries are so defective that they in- 

 duce no .sexual desire and cau.se no inconvenience to the patient, 

 no interference is demanded. When dermoid cysts or other de- 

 fects induce undesirable conditions, the removal of the involved 

 gland is indicated. In all these cases where nymphomania, or 

 perverted .sexual desire, is present, castration is indicated. 



Oophoritis. Inflammation of the ovaries is rare in the domestic 

 animals and the symptoms are, usually, not recognized during 

 life. Upon post-mortem examination, it is not rare to find the 

 ovaries, especially of cows, studded over with fibrous tufts, point- 

 ing to an inflammatory origin, or the glands adherent to the pavi- 

 lion of the oviduct. Adhesions of the ovary to the pavilion of 

 the oviduct is sometimes recognizable by manual exploration per 

 rectum, but the condition is not subject to remedy, so far as 

 breeding is concerned. Such animals may be castrated and pre- 

 pared for the butcher. 



3. Tuberculosis of the Ovaries is observed in cows as a cause 

 of chronic oophoritis and sterility and may occur, more rarely, 

 in other animals. Zschokke denies that tubercular ovaries consti- 

 tute a common cause of .sterility, and records that among no 

 sterile cows but 2 % were referable to ovarian tuberculosis. 



