314 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



they are called fungus hematodes, but they also occur on the skin, 

 on the genitals, in the stomach, and within the organs. 



Fungus hematodes. — This starts at the inner corner of the eye as 

 a papillary elevation or as small nodules which become fused. They 

 grow larger and become papillomatous, with superficial ulcerations 

 and a tendency toward hemorrhage. In some cases the eye is dis- 

 placed by the growing tumor or is attacked by the cancer cells and 

 entirely destroyed. 



Cancerous growths upon the external genitals and the anus usually 

 present a rough, irregular surface from which there is a constant 

 sloughing of decomposed tissue accompanied with a penetrating dis- 

 agreeable odor. 



The diagnosis of cancer may be made clinically by noting the 

 simultaneous infection of the lymph glands which surround the pri- 

 mary lesion. Deeply burrowing and infiltrating forms which ap- 

 pear as lumps and ulcerations cause marked disfiguration of the 

 affected part. The surface becomes a soft, greasy mass; later it 

 cracks open and from the fissures blood-colored pus exudes, being 

 continually formed by the moist degeneration of the tissues beneath. 

 At first the general health of the animal does not appear affected, 

 but later the cancer nodules spread to important organs and give 

 rise to marasmus and progressive emaciation. Cancer is not a fre- 

 quent tumor of cows. Frohner states that of 75 cases of tumors in 

 cattle which came under his observation 2, or 2.6 per cent, were 

 found to be cancers, while 20, or 26.6 per cent, were sarcomas. 



Treatment. — Treatment consists in the early and complete removal 

 of the tumor, taking care to include a wide border of healthy tissue. 

 This has been most successful in such superficial cancers as those of 

 the eye, penis, anus, testicle, vulva, and sheath. If the disease has 

 advanced too far, this treatment may not prove efficacious, owing to 

 the great malignancy of the cancer and its tendency to recur. In 

 such cases the animal may be slaughtered, but the flesh should be 

 used for food only after inspection by a competent veterinarian. 



CYSTS. 



Cysts may be true or false tumors and consist of a capsule contain- 

 ing a fluid or semisolid content. Among the most important cysts, 

 which have been briefly referred to in a previous table, the following 

 are probably the most noteworthy, owing to the frequency with which 

 they are found in bovines : 



SOFTENING CYSTS. 



Softening cysts, which result from the degenerative liquefaction of 

 normal or diseased tissues, especially of tumors of different kinds, 

 followed by the encapsulation of the fluid. 



