DISEASES OF THE GENERATIVE ORGANS. 151 



extract of belladonna. Should a soft point appear, indicating the 

 formation of matter, it may be opened with a sharp lancet and the 

 wound treated daily with a solution of a teaspoonful of carbolic acid 

 in a half pint of water. Usually, however, when the inflammation 

 has proceeded to this extent, the gland will be ruined for purposes 

 of procreation and must be cut out. (See " Castration," p, 297.) 



INFLAMMATION OF THE SHEATH. 



While this may occur in bulls from infection dui-ing copulation and 

 from bruises, blows, and other mechanical injuries, the condition is 

 more common in the ox in connection with the comparative inactivity 

 of the parts. The sheath has a very small external opening, the 

 mucous membrane of which is studded with sebaceous glands secret- 

 ing a thick, unctuous matter of a strong, heavy odor. Behind this 

 orifice is a distinct pouch, in which this unctuous matter is liable to 

 accumulate when the penis is habitually drawn back. Moreover, the 

 sheath has two muscles (protractors) which lengthen it, passing into 

 it from the region of the navel, and two (retractors) that shorten it, 

 passing into it from the lower surface of the pelvic bones above. 

 (PI. IX, fig. 2.) The protractors keep the sheath stretched, so that 

 it habitually covers the penis, while the retractors shorten it up in 

 the act of service, so that the penis can project to its full extent. In 

 stud bulls the frequent protrusion of the erect and enlarged penis 

 and the retraction and dilation of the opening of the sheath serve to 

 empty the pouch and prevent any accumulation of sebaceous matter 

 or urine. In the ox, on the other hand, the undeveloped and inactive 

 penis is usually drawn back so as to leave the anterior preputial 

 pouch empty, so that the sebaceous matter has space to accumulate 

 and is never expelled by the active retraction of the sheath and 

 protrusion of the erect penis in service. Again, the ox rarely pro- 

 trudes the tip of the penis in urination, the urine is discharged into 

 the preputial pouch and lodges and decomposes there, so that there 

 is a great liability to the precipitation of its earthy salts in the form 

 of gravel. The decomposing ammoniacal urine, the gritty crystals 

 precipitated from it, and the fetid, rancid, sebaceous matter set up 

 inflammation in the delicate mucous membrane lining the passage. 

 The membrane is thickened, reddened, rendered friable, and ulti- 

 mately ulcerated, and the now narrowed sheath is blocked by the 

 increasing mass of sebaceous and urinous material and the decom- 

 posing mucus and pus. The penis can no longer be protruded, the 

 urine escapes in a small stream through the narrowing sheath, and 

 finally the outlet is completely blocked and the urine distends the 

 back part of the sheath. This will fluctuate on being handled, and 

 soon the unhealthy inflammation extends on each side of it, causing 



