TUMOURS OF THE OVARY. 559 



TUMOURS OF THE UTERUS. 



The study of tumours of the uterus is still so incomplete that it 

 would be impossible to give a precise description of them. This is 

 to a great extent due to the fact that as treatment is difficult the 

 animals are usually slaughtered as soon as an assured diagnosis can 

 be given. 



The general symptoms of tumours of the neck, body, or horns of 

 the uterus resemble those of chronic metritis, viz., permanent or inter- 

 mittent discharge from the vulva, wasting, expulsive efforts, dysuria 

 and sterility. The position of the tumour, its form, point of insertion, 

 size, consistency, mode of attachment, etc., can be detected by vaginal 

 or rectal examination. 



The diagnosis having been made, the only question is as to treat- 

 ment. Should the tumour prove mobile, clearly delimited, and with 

 a well-marked pedicle, it can be removed either by tearing away or 

 by breaking into fragments, or again simply by dividing the pedicle 

 and applying antiseptic pads to check bleeding. But if the tumour 

 proves largely sessile and ill-defined and it extends into neighbouring 

 tissues the animal should be slaughtered, as such patients can neither 

 be fattened nor used for reproductive purposes. 



TUMOURS OF THE OVARY. 



We might repeat in regard to tumours of the ovary what has 

 just been said as regards those of the uterus, though the former 

 are much commoner than the latter. 



Clinically, ovarian tumours may be grouped under two heads, solid 

 tumours and cystic tumours — the first rej)resented by the fibromata, 

 fibro-sarcomata and epitheliomata, the second by uni- or multi- locular 

 cysts. 



All these tumours are dangerous ; they may develop rapidly, and 

 they rarely fail to produce disturbance, the animals presenting various 

 genital troubles, among which may be mentioned sterility and nympho- 

 mania. 



The cystic tumours, which develop at the expense of epithelial 

 invaginations of the peritoneal covering or at the expense of Pfliiger's 

 tubes, and not, as was formerly believed, by the morbid development 

 of the Graafian vesicles, constitute dangerous growths, true cysto- 

 epitheliomata or cystic epitheliomata, capable of producing fatal 

 complications (vascular disturbance, local or general peritonitis, com- 

 pression of the ureters, etc.). 



The diagnosis must be arrived at by vaginal and rectal examination. 



