248 FUNGUS ELEMATODES SORE FEET. 



FUNGUS HJEMATODES. 



In the month of March, 1836, a valuable pointer dog was sent to Mr. 

 Adam of Beaufort, quite emaciated, with total loss of appetite, and with 

 a large fungus haematodes about the middle of the right side of his neck. 

 It had begun to appear about five months before, and was not at first larger 

 than a pea. Mr. Adam gave him a purgative of Barbadoes aloes, which 

 caused the discharge of much fetjd matter from the intestines. At the ex- 

 piration of three days he removed the tumour with the knife. There was 

 a full discharge of healthy matter from the wound. During the period of 

 its healing the animal was well fed, and ferruginous tonics were given. In 

 a little more than three weeks the wound had completely filled up with 

 healthy granulations, and the dog was sent home to all appearance quite well. 



At the expiration of three months another tumour made its appearance 

 near the situation of the former one, growing fast ; it had attained nearly 

 the size of the other. Mr. Adam removed it immediately, ordering a 

 system of nutritive feeding and tonics. It appeared at first to go on 

 favourably; but, five days after the removal of the second one, a third 

 made its appearance. 



This was removed at the expiration of another five days ; but the animal 

 was totally unable to walk, with very laborious breathing and cold ex- 

 tremities. A cathartic was given and the legs bandaged ; but the wounds 

 made no progress towards healing, and at the end of three days he died. 

 On exposing the cavity of the thorax it was almost covered with variously 

 formed tumours, from the size of a pigeon's egg to that of a small pea. 

 The intercostal muscles had many of these adhering to them, and a few 

 small ones were developed on the heart. There were three on the dia- 

 phragm, in the centre of which matter was formed. The blood-vessels, 

 kidneys, &c., were free from disease. These tumours were white, or nearly 

 so, rather hard, and of a glandular substance. The external ones were soft, 

 red, and almost destitute of blood-vessels, except the first, which bled con- 

 siderably. There was dropsy of the abdomen. 



SORE FEET 



constitute a frequent and troublesome complaint. It consists of inflamma- 

 tion of the vascular substance, between the epidermis and the parts beneath. 

 It is the result of numerous slight contusions, produced by long travelling 

 in dry weather, or hunting over a hard and rough country, or one covered 

 with frost and snow. The irritation with which it commences continues 

 to increase, and a certain portion of fluid is determined to the feet, and 

 tubercles are formed, hard, hot, and tender, until the whole foot is in a 

 diseased state, considerably enlarged. The animal sadly suffers, and is 

 scarcely able to stand up for a minute. Sometimes the ardour of the chace 

 will make him for a while forget all this ; but on his return, and when 

 he endeavours to repose himself, it is with difficulty that he can be got up 

 again. The toes become enlarged, the skin red and tender, and the horny 

 sole becomes detached and drops. Local fever, and that to a considerable 

 extent, becomes established ; it re-acts on the general economy of the 

 animal, who scarcely moves from his bed, and at length refuses all food. 

 At other times a separation takes place between the dermis and the epider- 

 mis, which is a perfect mass of serosity. 



