146 Veterinary Obstetrics 



remediable, and depends for its recovery upon the removal of 

 the cause. 



In other cases, the paralysis is local and more or less tem- 

 porary in character. Any injury to the penis which causes swel- 

 ling and inflammation tends to induce paralysis, both directly 

 through the disease of the tissues and indirectly as a result of 

 the dragging on the organ due to its increased weight. Rough 

 handling bj' the groom or violent strains of the organ during 

 copulation may also lead to paralysis". Large tumors on the 

 penis, by their weight, tend to cause paralysis and prolapse of 

 the organ. In penial paralysis, the protruded organ is further 

 exposed to wounds, abrasions and, in cold weather, to freezing. 



The handling of penial paralysis in breeding males should be 

 prompt and energetic. The paralyzed organ should be at once 

 supported, in order to overcome the injurious results of pend- 

 ency. In recoverable ca.ses, the longer the penis protrudes, the 

 greater the danger that the prolapse itself may lead to permanent 

 paralysis of the organ. 



5. Excessive erection of the Penis (Spasm) sometimes 

 occurs in the stallion and pos-sibly in other animals. It is ac- 

 companied by a peculiar interruption of copulatory power, closely 

 analogous to the vaginismus of the female. We have personally 

 observed one case in the stallion and have known of a second, 

 both imported French draft horses. These stallions were very 

 amorous and would quickly get an erection, the glans penis becom- 

 ing excessively large. They would promptly mount mares, intro- 

 duce the penis momentarily into the vulva for a short distance, 

 suddenly withdraw it and dismount with the penis still fully 

 erected and without the ejaculation of semen having occurred. 

 Repeated efforts were unavailing and constant and prolonged 

 failure to copulate resulted. Zschokke records the case of a bull 

 (Unfruchtbarkeit des Rindes, page 58) in which the symptoms 

 were somewhat similar. 



Careful examination fails to reveal any anatomical defect 

 or pathologic changes. The difficulty appears to be wholly 

 functional. 



No remedy is certainly known. Vigorous work on a light, 

 laxative diet may be tried. We attempted to overcome the 

 nervous irritability by means of potassium bromide, but failed. 

 Possibly we did not give a sufficient quantity. The horse passed 



