26 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 391 



canal by a slender stalk. Histologically the tumor was composed of spindle- 

 shaped neoplastic fibroblasts. The visceral organs and other parts of the nervous 

 system were normal. 



2. T 312. A 14-week-old female chick, weak and pale from coccidiosis, 

 was killed for examination. No symptons of paralysis were noted. At the apex 

 of the left lung was a smooth, white nodukir mass about which the adjacent 

 lung tissue was molded. Upon dissection the nodule was found to arise from the 

 first thoracic dorsal root gangUon on the left side (Plate I, Figure 1). The tumor 

 extended outward from its origin and infiltrated the adjacent musculature to some 

 extent. It had to be separated from the periosteum of the first rib by cutting. 

 The lung was not infliltrated by the tumor. The entire mass was irregular and 

 measured approximately 3X 2.5 X 2 cm. The first thoracic nerve and the small 

 branch from the ganglion to the brachial nerve plexus were not involved. The 

 tumor consisted of fairly well differentiated fibroblastic cells which were ar- 

 ranged in bands and had a tendency to assume whorl-like arrangements. The 

 brain and other portions of the nervous system were examined histologically 

 and found to be normal. 



3. T 97. A 29-week-old pullet was killed for examination. The bird was in 

 poor flesh and somewhat inactive. An irregular mass of firm, white, glistening 

 tumor tissue was found in the subcutis of the coccygeal region to the left of the 

 mid line. The mass measured appro.ximately 4.5 X 3.5 X 2.5 cm. The tumor 

 infiltrated the adjacent soft tissue to a slight extent. A stalk of tumor, 2.5 mm. 

 in diameter, passed through an opening in the underlying bone and connected 

 with a large mass of similar tissue spread irregularly in the left sublumbar and 

 subsacral region. The tumor enveloped two posterior dorsal root ganglia of the 

 left lumbosacral nerve plexus. The left psoas muscles were infiltrated b)' the 

 tumor which also partially encircled the left kidney without invasion. A portion 

 of the tumor extended between the left kidney and vertebral column and formed 

 a large mass medial and caudal to the posterior pole of the left kidney. The 

 histological appearance of the tumor was somewhat variable in different locations. 

 In some areas there was a dense, compact arrangement of plump, spindle-shaped 

 cells with oval nuclei. In other areas the cells were less numerous and arranged 

 in strands with anastomosing processes. In the less dense areas there was con- 

 siderable amorphous intercellular material and clear, fissurelike spaces. The 

 cells also tended to form whorl-like structures in the less dense portions. A sec- 

 tion cut through one of the dorsal root ganglia of the sacral region showed the 

 complete replacement of the fibrous capsule by tumor. Focal accumulations 

 of lymphocytes were found in the dorsal root ganglia of the brachial plexuses 

 and in one of the ganglia of the lumbosacral plexus. These lesions were similar 

 to those seen in fowl paralysis. The peripheral nerves and the nerve ganglia of 

 the anterior mesenteric plexus were normal. The visceral organs were essen- 

 tially negative for pathology. 



4. T 288. A 24-week-old pullet was found dead. Previous to death it had 

 been lame on the left leg. The dorsal root ganglia and radicals to the left lumbo- 

 sacral plexus were embedded in an irregular mass of dense fibrous tumor tissue 

 (Plate I, Figure 3). The tumor was intimately associated with the periosteum 

 of the vertebrae. On side view cylindrical projections of tumor could be seen to 

 coincide with the location of radicals from the lumbosacral plexus. The tumor 

 extended from the left nerve plexus into the left ischiadic nerve. It was con- 

 stricted in its passage through the ischiadic foramen and became larger again 

 in the region of the thigh. The anterior portion of the right lumbosacral nerve 

 plexus was surrounded by a similar neoplastic tissue which also followed the path 

 of the nerves through the obturator foramen and into the region of the thigh, 

 where it formed a mass about 5 cm. long and 1.5 cm. in diameter. Both kidneys, 

 both lungs, the ovary, and bone marrow were affected with lymphocytoma. 

 The tumor involving the nerves was fibroblastic in character (Plate I, Figure 4). 

 The cells were arranged in irregular strands and tended to form whorls. In some 

 parts of the tumor were found peculiar formations resembling imperfecth' formed 

 nerve endings. In a few instances nerve trunks were included in the section ot 

 the tumor and the nerve tissue itself appeared to be normal although the capsule 

 was replaced by tumor. The dorsal root ganglia of the brachial plexus and ganglia 

 of the anterior mesenteric plexus were normal. 



5. Case 425. The finding of a tumor in this case was incidental to the prin- 

 cipal reason for examination. The bird was a 78-week-old hen and was killed 

 after being tested for susceptibility to a respiratory disease. The anastomosing 



