276 Veterinary Obstetrics 



introduced to overcome sterility. In large doses, these drugs 

 induce more or less irritation of the urino-genital tract and 

 stimulation of the sexual desire. 



To what extent aphrodisiacs stimulate ovulation and spermato- 

 genesis has not been determined. It is possible that indirectly, 

 through irritation of the genital-tract, they stimulate the ripen- 

 ing and discharge of ova and spermatozoa but, from all data at 

 hand, they merely arouse the sexual appetite without increasing 

 the sexual powers. In the minds of some, vigorous sexual 

 desire signifies exalted breeding powers, but this is a false 

 assumption. In nymphomania, for example, the sexual appe- 

 tite is intense and the breeding power almost nil. Sexual ap- 

 petite, without normal ovulation in the female and the forma- 

 tion of normal spermatozoa in the male, has no value for breed- 

 ing purposes, but is rather a harm, frequently leading the owner 

 astray and diminishing the value of the patient for other 

 purposes. 



Yohimbin has recently acquired a high repute, in some quar- 

 ters, as a remedy against sterility, both in human and in veterinary 

 practice. It has been commended chiefly for arousing the 

 sexual appetite, when absent in either sex. Its eflScacy is in 

 vigorous controversy and the cost of the drug is at present pro- 

 hibitive except in unusually valuable animals. 



Holterbach (Berlin Tierarztliche Wochenschrift, No. 9, 1908), 

 in an exhaustive article, champions the use of the drug. 



He u.sed the drug in 37 cases of absence of sexual desire : 

 22 cows, 9 bitches, 3 bulls and 3 sows. In his observation, the 

 drug has a greater affinity for the female than for the male 

 genitalia. A five year old Simmerthal cow calved normally in 

 June, 1906, but estrum did not follow. All other drugs, in- 

 cluding cantharides, proved useless. In August, 1907, 14 

 months after calving, 16 tablets of yohimbin chlorid, each con- 

 taining o.i gram of the alkaloid, were prescribed, one tablet to 

 be given three times daily in the drinking water. On the third 

 day there was excitement, bellowing, uneasy stepping about, 

 frequent urination and decreased milk flow. On the fourth day 

 there was a muco-sanguineous discharge from the vulva 

 (menstruation?) and on the fifth day the owner noted expulsive 

 efforts resembling labor pains. The external genitals were 



