3U 



A careful study of the microscopical sections (illustrated 

 by the accompauying plates) proves, beyond question, that 

 these tumors are distinctly fibromas ; some of them ap- 

 proach more nearly the soft variety, while others are evi- 

 dently hard fibromas. 



The seat of the fibroma is in the mucous, the muscular or 

 the subcutaneous connective tissue. All of the tumors or 

 fibromas, studied by me were found in the subcutaneous 

 connective tissue. But the sarcoma is also found in this 

 same locality, so that we find nothing peculiar about the 

 seat of these skin tumors to preclude the possibility of their 

 being sarcomas. 



Macroscopical Charaxiteristics. — As before mentioned, these 

 skin tumors vary in size and shape. Some of the young 

 tumors are less than one-fourth of an inch in diameter, 

 while others may be three or more inches in diameter* 

 They are all somewhat spherical in form, but their 

 shape is determined largely by the pressure of the sur- 

 rounding tissues. 



As a rule, more than one of these tumors appear on an 

 animal at one time. In all cases that I have observed and 

 investigated there were several tumors found on the same 

 animal. In one instance, there were more than fifty tumors 

 cut from one mule. However, it is not always the case 

 that these tumors are multiple ; but, in rare instances, a 

 single tumor may be found on an animal. 



These tumors varied somewhat in their action under the 

 knife. In some cases the spherical, shining pearl-like 

 tumors popped out with slight pressure as soon as the knife 

 cut through the thin capsules or the skin overlying them. 

 Other tumors belonging to the same group would require 

 the knife to sever them from their connection with the sur- 

 rounding tissue. 



When microscopic sections were cut of these tumors, I 

 found that each section presented a white shining waxy ap- 

 pearance. On pressure, these tumors vary in their relative 

 degree of consistency ; but, as a rule, they are quite firm. 



