148 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



of blood from the walls of the contracting womb into the body at 

 large immediately after calving. 



In reviewing this class of diseases, therefore, we have to note, fii*st, 

 that they are almost exclusively restricted to breeding animals ; and, 

 second, that in keeping with the absolute difl'erence of the organs in 

 the male and female we find two essentially distinct lists of diseases 

 affecting the two sexes. 



excess of venereal desire (satyriasis in male, or nymphomania in 



female). 



This may occnr in the male from too frequent sexual intercoui-se, 

 or from injui-y and congestion of the base of the brain (vaso-dilator 

 center in the medulla), or of the posterior end of the spinal cord, or 

 it may be kept up by congestion or inflammation of the testicles or of 

 the mucous membrane covering the penis. It may be manifested by 

 a constant or fi-equent erection, by attempts at sexual connection, 

 and sometimes by the discharge of semen without connection. In bad 

 cases the feverishness and restlessness lead to loss of flesh, emacia- 

 tion, and physical weakness. 



It is, however, in the female especially that this morbid desire is 

 most noticeable and injurious. It may be excited by the stimulating 

 quality of the blood in cows fed to excess on highly nitrogenous food, 

 as the seeds of the bean, pea, vetch, and tare, and as wheat bran, 

 middlings, cotton seed, gluten meal, etc., especially in the case of such 

 as have no free exercise in the fields, and are subject to constant asso- 

 ciation with a vigorous young bull. A more frequent cause is the 

 excitation or congestion of some part of the genital organs. Disease 

 of the ovaries is preeminentlj' the cause, and this ma}^ be by the for- 

 mation of cysts (sacs containing liquid) or of solid tumors or de- 

 generations, or, more commonly than all, the deposition of tubercle. 

 Indeed, in case of tuberculosis attacking the abdominal organs of 

 cows, the ovaries or the serous membranes that support and cover 

 them (the broad ligaments of the womb) are peculiarly subject to 

 attack, and the animal has constant sexual excitement, incessantly 

 riding or being ridden by other cattle, having no leisure to eat or 

 chew the cud, but moving restlessly, wearing the flesh off its bones, 

 and gradually wasting. In some localities these cows are Iniown as 

 " bullers," because they are nearly always disposed to take the bull, 

 but they do not conceive, or, if they do, they are subject to early 

 abortions. They are, therefore, useless alike for the dair}^ and for the 

 feeder, unless the removal of the ovaries subdues the sexual excite- 

 ment, when, in the absence of tuberculous disease elsewhere, they 

 may be fattened for the butcher. 



