ial and the decomposing mucus and pus. The penis
can no longer be protruded, the urine escapes in a small stream through the
narrowing sheath, and finally the outlet is completely blocked and the
urine distends the back part of the sheath. This will fluctuate on being
handled, and soon the unhealthy inflammation extends on each side of it,
causing a thick, doughy, tender swelling under the belly and between the
thighs. The next step in the morbid course is overdistention of the
bladder, with the occurrence of colicky pains, looking at the flanks,
uneasy movements of the hind limbs, raising or twisting of the tail,
pulsatory contractions of the urethra under the anus, and finally a false
appearance of relief, which is caused by rupture of the bladder. Before
rupture takes place the distended bladder may press on the rectum and
obstruct the passage of the bowel dejections. Two mistakes are therefore
probable--first, that the bowels alone are to be relieved, and, second,
that the trouble is obstruction of the urethra by a stone. Hence the need
of examining the sheath and pushing the finger into its opening to see that
there is no obstruction there, in all cases of retention of urine,
overdistended bladder, or blocked rectum in the ox. The disease may be
acute or chronic--the first by reason of acute, adhesive inflammation
blocking the outlet, the second by gradual thickening and ulceration of the
sheath and blocking by the sebaceous and calculous accretion.

_Treatment._--The treatment of this affection depends on the stage. If
recent and without instant danger of rupture of the bladder, the narrow
opening of the sheath should be freely cut open in the median line below,
and the sac emptied out with a finger or spoon, after which it should be
thoroughly washed with tepid water. To make the cleansing more thorough a
catheter or a small, rubber tube may be inserted well back into the sheath,
and water may be forced through it from a syringe or a funnel inserted into
the other end of the tube and considerably elevated. A fountain syringe,
which should be in every house, answers admirably. The sheath may be daily
washed out with tepid water, with a suds made with Castile soap, or with a
weak solution of sulphate of zinc (one-half dram to a quart of water). If
these attentions are impossible, most cases, after cleansing, will do well
if merely driven through clean water up to the belly once a day.

In case the disease has progre