VIII. DISEASES OE THE MALE ORGANS OF 
GENERATION. 
I.—INFLAMMATION OF THE PREPUCE (BALANITIS). 
The prepuce, consisting of a duplicature of the skin, is liable to 
inflammatory changes, which present very notable differences in 
appearance, course, and results, in the various classes of animals. 
(1.) INFLAMMATION OF THE PREPUCE IN THE 
HORSE. 
In the horse the covering of the penis is peculiar in that it consists of a 
double involution of the skin, that is, it is formed of an inner fold (prepuce in 
the narrow sense of the word) and of an outer, the so-called sheath. The 
visceral portion of the first covers the end of the penis, clothing it closely, and 
lying, when the penis is not erected, in folds, but these disappear on erection. 
The outer fold forms a swelling as thick as the finger, attached to the under 
surface of the member by the inner fold of the sheath; the latter presents a 
second considerably thicker covering, which is reflected backwards at the 
entrance to the sheath, to become continuous with the skin of the scrotum. 
The inner lining of the sheath and the outer fold of the prepuce are provided 
with numerous sebaceous and sweat glands, the secretions of which, together 
with the loosened masses of epidermis, form a blackisli-grey fat-like material 
(smegma preputii). 
In horses inflammation of the prepuce is not infrequently produced by 
the animals failing to extend the penis during urination, and passing the 
urine into the prepuce. This produces continuous irritation, thickening 
and subsequent contraction of the folds of skin, and finally stenosis of 
the outer folds of the sheath, which renders it impossible for the animal 
to expose the penis (phimosis). As in this condition more smegma always 
accumulates, the escape of urine may finally be seriously interfered with. 
Sometimes a large quantity of the material accumulates around the 
corona glandis, exerts pressure on the urethra, and renders urination 
difficult. Esser saw a case of the kind in a gelding. Colic, distension 
of the bladder, and ineffectual straining to pass urine, set in ; sometimes 
urine is only discharged in drops. As a rule, geldings alone suffer from 
this condition. 
Local examination discovers contraction of the opening of the sheath 
and accumulation of preputial smegma. Cadiot saw a horse in which 
