322 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 



often extending backwards to the tenth, and, at times, forward 

 to the second rib. Frequently they are superficial, i.e., in the 

 subcutaneous tissues, but more often they are situated between 

 the posterior portion of the superficial pectoral muscle and the 

 anterior part of the posterior deep pectoral, between the posterior 

 portion of the deep pectoral and the external abdominal oblique, 

 and between the panniculus carnosus and the posterior portion of 

 the external oblique, rarely deeper. 



The number of the tumours varies in different animals, irre- 

 spective of the age of the animal. There may be only one or two, 

 but there may be fifty in the one animal. 



The other situation is the external surface of the hind limb, 

 especially behind the femoro-tibial joint, and the groove leading 

 upwards to the pelvis, anterior to the gluteus maximus, and even 

 near the angle of the haunch. While occasionally superficial and 

 readily detected, they are often under the dense subcutaneous 

 fascia lata, when they are much more liable to be overlooked. 

 Generally single in the hind limb, it is not very unusual to discover 

 a group of four to six. Usually flattened, they present practically 

 the same characters as those found in the fore limb. 



It is well to observe that slaughtermen, and even inspectors, 

 state they occasionally find such nodules elsewhere than in the 

 situations mentioned. For example, that they have been detected 

 on the inner surface of the thigh, in the groin, and even throughout 

 the body. Other very careful observers, however, deny this. 

 Certainly J. A. G. saw no indication of their presence elsewhere, even 

 in the most badly affected cases, and we are strongly inclined to 

 the opinion that such conclusions have resulted from small tumours 

 of different origin being mistaken for these nodules. 



Macroscopic Appearance. — In the vast majority of cases it is 

 absolutely impossible to detect the presence of nodules during 

 life, and, indeed, it is impossible without definite incision to be 

 certain that none are present even in a dressed carcase. In some 

 instances, however, during life, they may be detected by manipu- 

 lation, and often by simple observation as definite spherical firm 

 tumours situated almost in a direct line behind the point of the 

 elbow. When present in the subcutaneous tissue they are gene- 

 rally globular and not pedunculated. Occasionally they may be 

 so firmly attached to the dermis that the butcher in flaying the 

 animal divides the nodule. Very rarely are they situated in the 

 intra-muscular connective tissue, even in part. When found in 

 the intermuscular loose connective tissue they are seen as flattened 

 spherical, sometimes ovoid, bodies of very dense consistency, lying 

 amongst a greater or less quantity of looser, flaccid tissue, which 

 permits a considerable amount of free lateral movement, so pre- 

 venting, no doubt, the bruising that otherwise would naturally 

 tend to occur when the host is in the recumbent position on a hard 

 surface. The nodules themselves are, in our experience, almost 

 invariably difficult to remove from this loose connective tissue, 

 and only rarely have we found them easy to enucleate, as observed 



