DISEASES OF THE TJEINAEY ORGANS. 153 



INFLAMMATION OF THE URETHRA (URETHRITIS, OR GLEET). 



This affection belongs quite as much to the generative organs, yet 

 it can not be entirely overlooked in a treatise on urinary disorders. 

 It may be induced by the same causes as cystitis (which see) ; by the 

 passage and temporary arrest of small stones, or gravel ; by the irri- 

 tation caused by foreign bodies introduced from without; by blows 

 on the penis by sticks, stones, or by the feet of a mare that kicks 

 while being served ; by an infecting inflammation contracted from a 

 mare served in the first few days after parturition or one suffering 

 from leucorrhea ; by infecting matter introduced on a dirty catheter, 

 or by the extension of inflammation from an irritated, bilocular 

 cavity filled with hardened sebaceous matter, or from an uncleansed 

 sheath. 



Symptoms. — ^The symptoms are swelling, heat, and tenderness of 

 the sheath and penis ; difficulty, pain, and groaning in passing urine, 

 which is liable to sudden temporary arrests in the course of micturi- 

 tion, and later a whitish, mucopurulent oozing from the papilla on 

 the end of the penis. There is a tendency to erection of the penis, 

 and in cases contracted from a mare the outer surface of that organ 

 will show more or less extensive sores and ulcers. Stallions suffering 

 in this way will refuse to mount or, having mounted, will fail to 

 complete the act of coition. If an entrance is effected, infection of 

 the mare is liable to follow. 



Treatment in the early stages consists in a dose of physic (aloes 6 

 drams) and fomentations of warm water to the sheath and penis. If 

 there is reason to suspect the presence of infection, inject the urethra 

 twice daily with borax 1 dram, tepid water 1 quart. When the 

 mucopurulent discharge indicates the supervention of the second 

 stage a more astringent injection may be used (nitrate of silver 20 

 grains, water 1 quart), and the same may be applied to the surface 

 of the penis and inside the sheath. Balsam of copaiba (1 dram daily) 

 may also be given with advantage after the purulent discharge has 

 appeared. 



Every stallion suffering from urethritis should be withheld from 

 service, as should mares with leucorrhea. 



STRICTURE OF THE URETHRA, 



This is a permanent narrowing of the urethra at a given point, the 

 result of previous inflammation, caused by the passage or arrest of a 

 stone, or gravel, by strong astringent injections in the early nonsecret- 

 ing stage of urethritis, or by contraction of the lining membrane 

 occurring during the healing of ulcers in neglected inflammations of 

 that canal. The trouble is shown by the passage of urine in a fine 

 stream, with straining, pain, and groaning, and by frequent painful 



