Anatomical aspects of the impotent ram

Abstract

Fifteen impotent rams were dissected for the purpose of observing their internal organs, particularly the genital organs; the experiment revealed the following results.
The average body weight of the subjects was about 55kg., which suggest that their growth was less than the normal. On an anatomical observation, it was confirmed that 4 of them, besides 3 sick ones, had a prominent obesity about the internal organs and gonads. The development of the testes was poor, weighing 154g in average. Abnormalities of the testes and epididymis included inflammation, markedly smallness in size and their softness. Also colored epididymis (mainly in the caput epididymidis) were observed in 6 rams. The colors were grey, light indigo, brown, and light brown. The macro and microscopic examination of the volume of semen in the cauda epididymidis and ductus deferens showed it was generally poor in amount but normal in density. No azospermia rams were found. Both longevity and mobility of spermatozoa were also poor, but there were no rams with an utterly inactive spermatozoa. Great many abnormal types of spermatozoa, as well as unripened ones were observed in semen of the majority of the rams. Micro-moving cells were present in the colored caupt epididymidis, although the signification of micro-moving cells is still unknown as is also the colored epididymis.
Concerning the fundamental cause of impotency, the writer recognizes that it is probably attributable to inactive spermatogenesis from the results of tardy growth of body and genital organs due mainly nutritional faults. Also the writer considers that it is only of a temporary character.