OCCLUSIOX OF THE AUDITORY CANAL. 747 



The first variety is alone curable, and in order to disunite the eyelids, 

 the operator, after producing local insensibility by the application of 

 cocaine, proceeds as follows : Securing the head of tlie creature in the 

 hands of an assistant, the upper eyelid is elevated by another assistant 

 by means of a pair of forceps. The operator himself seizes the lower 

 lid by the same means, and pulls it as far as possible from the eyeball 

 beneath ; then taking a pointed bistoury or sharp scissors in his right 

 hand, a small puncture or notch is made between the margins of the 

 lids, in such a manner as to injure neither, if possible, and much less 

 to wound the eye. A grooved director is passed into the puncture in 

 the direction of one of the canthi of the eye, the bistoury is run along 

 it and separates the two lids ; the director is then turned towards the 

 other canthus, and the same procedure is followed. If the scissors are 

 used the director is not necessary. All that is required after the opera- 

 tion, is to apply a little lard to the borders of the lids, should there be 

 any tendency to re-adhesion. 



CHAPTER XX. 

 Occlusion of the Auditory Canal. 



Occlusion of the auditory canal is much less rare than that of the 

 eyelids, and when it exists deafness is the consequence, as well as 

 dumbness. It is the latter condition which most frequently attracts 

 attention, and leads to the discovery that the real and serious defect is 

 deafness. Then a small prominent tumour is detected in the place of 

 the ear, or where the external auditory canal should be. Tliis tumour 

 is rather soft, and can be readily seized by forceps, when it may bo 

 punctured with a bistoury or a lancet and a crucial incision made 

 through it, or it may be resected by forceps and scalpel or scissors. 



When the membrane forming the covering of the tumour is removed, 

 ;i quantity of grey cerumen is found obstructing the canal ; this can be 

 extruded by pressure, injections of tepid water, or a small scoop. To 

 iiinder the closure of the canal, a little morsel of lint or tine tow is placed 

 in the ear, and retained there by a bandage round the head. Witli the 

 1 )og, which is most frequently affected in this way, the bandage requires 

 to be more carefully f»xed than with otiier animals, as it uses its paws 

 iuid does not rest until the covering is removed. 



If both ears are affected, one only should be operated upon at a 

 time ; and, as a inilo, it is better to wait until the slight inflammation 

 which follows tlie operation subsides, before the other ear undergoes 

 the same treatment. 



So far as hearing is concerned, the result is often negative ; indeed, 

 Rainard confesses that, of the large number of Dogs he operated upon, 

 not one recovered its hearing. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

 Tongue-tie. 



Anothkk congenital defect of young animals is what is called " tongue- 

 tie "' ; it is most frequently obsen-ed in Calves,' and is similar to the 



' T}-vaert (Animle'* d>' ^f'll. Vtlt'rinaire, June, 1877) obB€r%ed this condition on six 

 occasions in calves. 



