FISTULA LACRYMALIS. 315 



outbreak of some fearful disorder. If men will breed 

 highly, they must accept small unpleasantnesses as a 

 consequence of the system. 



FISTULA LACRYMALIS. 



There is a canal below the inner corner of the eye 

 through which the superfluous tears flow into the 

 cavity of the nose. When the tears are secreted too 

 rapidly to be thus carried away, they run down the 

 cheek ; and they do so when this canal is obstructed. 

 Such obstruction may be caused by any potent inflam- 

 mation of its lining membrane ; or by the introduction 

 of a portion of hardened mucus into it. When an 

 obstruction occurs, the canal above the impediment 

 evidently must be distended with fluid. There then 

 is a soft tumour below the inner angle of the eye. 

 This, for a considerable time, alternately appears and 

 disappears. The fluid may often be pressed down 

 towards the nose, or upwards towards the eye. At 

 length, from frequent distention, the membrane of the 

 canal becomes diseased ; it is ruptured, and an ulcer 

 is seen below the eye, which is spoken of as fistula 

 lacrymalis. 



The ulcer, being once formed, will never be healed; 

 it is the passage for the tears which nature has con- 

 trived, the true canal having become obstructed. The 

 old canal can never be reopened ; we have no instru- 

 ment sufficiently delicate for the purpose, or, if we 

 had, we could not insert it and give the dog patience 

 enough to wear such an instrument. 



The practitioner, therefore, should confess at once 

 p 9 



