414 SlMl'LE TUMOURS. 



great effort the animal coughs the obstructing tumour from the 

 larynx into the fauces again, and all at once the roaring sound 

 and difl&culty of breathing disaj^pear. Such cases are termed 

 " Bellones " by horse-coupers. 



The only treatment for polypus is removal ; and the best 

 method is evulsion by the forceps. The instrument must be 

 passed up alongside of the polypus to its roots, where they 

 must be fixed by strong pressure on the handles ; and then the 

 connections of the tumour must be torn by a compound move- 

 ment of turning and pulling. I have removed them very 

 successfully in this way. The nostril ought to be afterwards 

 frequently syringed with an astringent wash, such as a solution 

 of the tincture of the perchloride of iron. 



When the polypus grows into the faur^es, it is quite possible 

 to remove it — if it can be discovered by the hand — by enclosing 

 its pedicle in a noose of strong wire, and tearing it away by 

 strong and continuous traction. If it were possible to apply 

 the " Ecraseur," the removal of this polypus would be rendered 

 a very easy matter. Fibrous tumours, similar to polypi, are 

 found in the ventricles of the brain. 



Fibrous tumours, especially in the horse, are often due to the 

 imprisonment of pus in the deep-seated inter-muscular structures. 

 For example, an apparently fibrous tumour, with well-defined 

 borders, and no appearance of inflammation, is often found in the 

 inferior cervical region, beneath the levator humeri muscle. It 

 arises from the pressure of the collar, and when cut into, will 

 be found to consist of the enormously thickened walls of an old 

 abscess — small in itself, and containing a little pus. i^gain, 

 these tumours may be found upon those portions of the horse's 

 sides that are liable to be bruised by the shaft of the cart. In- 

 deed, with the exception of the subcutaneous tumours already 

 described, the majority of the so-called fibrous tumours of the 

 horse are due to the presence of pus too deeply seated to find 

 its way to the surface. 



These old abscesses may be removed either by excision of 

 the whole mass, or by destruction with caustics. If not very 

 large, perhaps the latter is the quicker method; but if very 

 large, the knife must have the preference. It is quite useless to 

 attempt their reduction by the use of external stimulants, such 

 as iodine or blisters. 



