35 



tures made from the seminal vesicles and testes of all these veal 

 calves were, with two exceptions, negative. Both seminal vesicles 

 of one tract and one of another yielded cultures of Staphylococcus 

 all) us. 



Adult bulls of known fertility were naturally difficult to obtain, 

 only the four animals in Group II being available for examination. 

 Two of these (Nos. 1 and 2) were from the experimental herd 

 kept by the department, and at all times had a good breeding 

 history. The other two were good breeders, but were slaughtered 

 because of poor pedigrees. Bull 1, raised in the department herd, 

 had a severe attack of scours when a few weeks old, while the calf- 

 hood history of the other is not known, he having been purchased 

 after reaching sexual maturity. The cultures from the genital 

 organs of the former (Bull 1) were entirely negative, exce{)t those 

 from the left epididymis and scrotal sac, which yielded growths of 

 Streptococcus viridans. All tlie organs of the tract from this ani- 

 mal were normal, except foi- the fact that numerous strands of 

 connective tissue extended from the serous covering of the tail of 

 both epididymes to the adjacent part of the parietal layer of the 

 tunica. The tract of the other failed to show any organisms. The 

 only evidence of any abnormality was the presence of the same 

 connective tissue strands on the tail of the epididj-mis, as in the 

 first tract. The other two Ijulls gave negative cultures from all 

 parts. 



Of the sixteen bulls in Clronp TIT. slaughtered at abattoii-s, and 

 in which no history was available, eight failed to show the pres- 

 ence of any organisms in their genitalia. Of the others, the vesicles 

 yielded cultures of Stapliiilococcus alhus nine times, and strepto- 

 cocci four times, Stapltjflococcus aJhus was i-ecovered once from 

 the prostate, and once fi'om Cowper's glands. The testes gave cul- 

 tures of staphylococci in two cases, and Bact. ahortum in one. No 

 observable anatomical changes accompanied the presence of the 

 Rang bacillus in this case. The epididymes showed growths of 

 staphylococci fi^'e times, and streptococci on three occasions. 

 Streptococci were isolated fi"om the scrotal sacs of eight testes. 



The results in Group IV (aborted fetuses) show that bacteria 

 are often present in the seminal vesicles or testes of these animals. 

 As a rule, however, the organisms are identical with those isolated 

 from the l)lood or other jiarts of tlie animal. This is to be ex- 

 pected, however, for liecause of the feeble resistance of the fetus 

 to any infection, the organisms circulating in the bloo<l may be 

 isolated, as a rnle. from many ditferent organs and tissues. All 

 samples of blood set with Bact. ahortum antigen were negative, 

 irrespective of whether or not the organism was recovered from 

 the blood or other tissue^. This is in accordance with the findings 

 of Garpenter in the female fetus. — the resistance is so feeble that 

 few or no antibodies are formed to combat any existing infection. 

 Bact. ahortum was recovered in two cases from the vesicles, and in 

 four cases from the testes, but in each instance the same organism 

 was present in the blood or otjier tissues of the body. 



