149 



ulceration of the mucous membrane covering the penis; {y) injuries 

 to the penis from blows (often causing paralysis) ; (h) warty growths, 

 on the end of the penis; (i) tumors of other kinds (largely pigmentary) 

 affecting the testicles or penis; (j) nervous diseases Avhich abolish the 

 sexual appetite, or that control over the muscles which is essential to 

 the act of coition ; (k) azoturia with resulting weakness or paralysis 

 of the muscles of the loins or the front of the thigh (above the stifle) ; 

 (/) ossification (anchylosis) of the joints of the back or loins, which 

 renders the animal unable to rear or mount; {m) spavins, ringbones, 

 or other i^ainf ul affections of the hind limbs, the pain of which in 

 mounting causes the animal to suddenly stop short in the act. In the 

 first three of these only (a, h, and c) is there real sterility in the sense 

 of the non-development or imperfect development of the male vivify- 

 ing element (spermatozoa). In the other examijles the secretion may 

 be i)erfect in kind and amount, but as copulation is prevented it can 

 not reach and imi)regnate the ovum. 



In the mare barrenness is equally due to a variety of causes. In a 

 number of breeding studs the proportion of sterile mares has varied 

 from 20 to 40 per cent. It may be due to : (a) Imperfect development 

 of the ovary and non-maturation of ova; (&) cystic or other tumors 

 of the ovary; (c) fatty degeneration of the ovary in very obese, pam- 

 pered mares; (d) fatty degeneration of the excretory tubes of the 

 ovaries (fallopian tubes); (e) catarrh of the womb, Avith muco- 

 purulent discharge; (/) irritable condition of the womb, with profuse 

 secretion, straining, and ejection of the semen; {g) nervous irritabil- 

 ity, leading to the same expulsion of the male element; (h) high con- 

 dition (plethora) with profuse secretion and excitement; {i) low 

 condition with imperfect maturation of the ova and lack of sexual 

 desire ; (j) poor feeding, overwork, and chronic debilitating diseases, 

 as leading to the condition just named; (k) closure of the neck of 

 the womb, temporarily by spasm, or permanently by inflammation 

 and induration; (Z) closure of the entrance to the vagina through 

 imjierf orate hymen, a rare though not unknown condition in the mare; 

 (?//) acquired indisposition to breed, seen in old, hard-worked mares, 

 which are first put to the stallion when aged; {n) change of climate 

 has repeatedly been followed by barrenness; (o) hybridity, which in 

 male and female alike usually entails sterility. 



The treatment of the majority of these conditions will be found dealt 

 with in other parts of this work, so that it is only necessary here to 

 name them as causes. Some, however, must be siDcciallj^ referred to 

 in this place. Stallions with undescended testicles are beyond the 

 reach of medicine, and should be castrated and devoted to other uses. 

 Indurated testicles may sometimes be remedied in the early stages 

 by smearing with a weak iodine ointment daily for a length of time, 

 and at the same time invigorating the system by liberal feeding and 

 judicious work. Fatty degeneration is best met by an albuminoid 



