TUMORS AFFECTING CATTLE. 307 



GENERAL TREATMENT OF TUMORS. 



For benign tumors treatment is required only when it damages the 

 animal's value or when merely for sake of appearance. When it is 

 possible, the removal of the tumor by an operation is indicated. If 

 the tumor has a small, constricted base, remove by torsion, ligation, or 

 with an ecraseur. Ligation following the incision of the skin with a 

 knife avoids the pain of pressing on the sensitive nerves of the skin 

 and is suitable for tumors of broad base and small bodies. A firing 

 iron, such as is used in line or feather firing, may also be used in 

 removing tumors with small attachments. This not only stops the 

 bleeding but forms a firm scab, under which healing may occur rap- 

 idly. Those tumors that can not be removed by the above methods 

 may be treated with caustics or acids, such as sulphuric acid, hydro- 

 chloric acid, caustic potash, arsenic, silver nitrate, or chromic acid, 

 but it is difficult to limit the action of these drugs. The injection, 

 into the tumor, of such chemicals as anilin dyes, alcohol, acetic 

 acid, citric acid, or ergotin, is of doubtful value, as is also the in- 

 jection of the germs of erysipelas — thought by some to be a specific. 

 Certain specific tumors, such as actinomycosis and botryomycosis, 

 may be successfully treated by the internal administration of potas- 

 sium iodid, together with the injection into the tumor or the painting 

 of its surface with either Lugol's solution or the tincture of iodin. 

 The most reliable means of treating tumors is by extirpation with 

 cutting instruments. Dissect the tumor from the surrounding tissue, 

 ligating all the larger blood vessels, and tearing the tissues with the 

 fingers rather than cutting with a knife. The bleeding may be 

 stopped with a hot iron. The after treatment is the same as for any 

 ordinary wound of similar size. 



DESCRIPTION OF INDIVIDUAL TUMORS. 



Although a full list of the tumors that may be found in bovines has 

 been given above, thei^ are a number that warrant a detailed descrip- 

 tion, and the following mention will be made of the most important 

 of them: 



MYOMA. 



These tumors are after the type of muscle. They are sharply cir- 

 cumscribed and, as a rule, are very hard, a condition owing usually to 

 combination with fibroma and are then known as fibromyoma. In 

 fact, the clinical differentiation between myoma and fibroma is almost 

 impossible. Myomas are found in the uterus, vagina, stomach, intes- 

 tines, gullet, and bladder of a bovine animal. They grow very large, 

 but, as a rule, are benign. Treatment should consist of their removal. 



