ABSCESSES, TUMOURS, ETC. 249 



needle is to be j^assed into the part, which, if an abscess, 

 may be known by the needle, on penetrating the walls, 

 meeting with no further resistance, and on being withdrawn 

 pus or serum, as the case may be, escapes. An abscess may 

 have walls several inches in thickness. If it is a fibrous 

 tumour, on being reached it will offer a considerable amount 

 of resistance to the passage of the needle, which, when 

 withdrawn, shows no sign of having encountered either pus 

 or serum. 



Fibrous tumours are to be removed by means of the 

 knife, and the wound allowed to heal in the ordinary way. 

 In the scapular region we also meet with enlargements, 

 the symptoms of which are as follows : the enlarge- 

 ment may have been present for eight or ten days. It 

 is hot and very tender, the animal evincing considerable 

 pain when it is pressed upon. The hair over the part is 

 found to be loose, pulling out readily. Fluctuation may or 

 may not be detected. 



Treatment. — Open up freely, apply poultices, fomentations, 

 etc., and dress with acid, carbol. It is astonishing how long 

 pus will remain in a part without any sign of its presence 

 being manifested. Abscesses may result in the scapular 

 region, as in other parts, in consequence of irregular 

 strangles, which may be known by the symptoms presented, 

 as anorexia, elevated temperature, pulse, etc. 



Tumours. — Sometimes cases come under observation in 

 which an exudate has been thrown out in consequence of 

 some previous inflammation. This exudate becomes partly 

 solidified, and an indolent tumour is the result. 



Treatment. — Benefit may be obtained by the repeated ap- 

 plication of vesicants ; but the best and surest way is to 

 effect their removal by means of the knife. 



