306 BURSATTEE. 



become similarly cancerous in the progress of the disease, and 

 I think sooner or later in that progress in direct proportion to 

 its own rapidity, following in the same ratio as other cancers ;' 

 and adds, ' The secondary cancerous elements resemble those 

 in the primary disease, and the effect may lead to the removal 

 of the whole of the original tissues.' Further, he speaks most 

 positively of the involvement of lymphatic glands : ' I believe, 

 rather, no cases reach their natural end without infection of the 

 glands.' I think, as to these infective properties, the analogy 

 between cancer and bursattee cannot be said to obtain, as 

 taking those internal lesions which have been found, there is 

 no proof that they are ' secondary ;' and personally we have 

 been able to meet with no one who has found a bursattee 

 ulcer (cancerous sore), excejrt in connection with the cutaneous 

 surface or the mucous membranes lining the natural orifices. 

 Then, again, we have the formation of the peculiar product 

 ' kunkur,' Avhich identifies, as it were, the disease ; certainly 

 this cannot be considered characteristic of cancer. Notwith- 

 standing our willingness to alloAv that there is a manifest 

 disposition in the horse to calcareous degeneration of abnormal 

 tissue-products, we could not even assert that we have found 

 the majority of tumours to undergo this change, nor can we 

 recall many instances of ulcers cicatrizing in this manner. 



The theory Avhich has received support from others who 

 have made the disease a special study, ascribes to it a parasitic 

 nature. This view is upheld by some experienced prac- 

 titioners, and would seem confirmed by some microscopic in- 

 vestigations recorded in the Veterinary Journal for October, 

 1881. The observer in the last-named found, in connection 

 with the bursattee tumour, or kunkur, some fungus elements 

 apparently of a definite character, ' hypal tubes, hymenia 

 and spores,' the first in organic connection with the brown cells 

 described by one observer as being special to the growth. The 

 recurrence of the tumours at certain definite periods of the 

 year is certainl}^ in accordance with the principles of vegetable 

 life, and seems capable of explanation by the parasitic hypo- 

 thesis, viewing their return as the ' recrudescence of the kun- 

 kur,' when the soil was congenial to the life and development 

 of the fungus or algie. Other matters are not so readily re- 

 conciled with this view ; for instance, those diseases of a cr}'p- 



