THE EAR 87 



The cartilage may be \\'eakened by being subcutaneousl^• 

 cut half\\-a\- through, the ear then falhng by its own weight 

 beyond the incised spot. This in a month or less leaves 

 practical]}- no trace, but at the same time is not alwa>s 

 successfully done, as it requires expert and delicate manipu- 

 lation. A hot knitting-needle or skewer is sometimes mani- 

 pulated in a similar way. 



Another method adopted consists in incising the skin at 

 the edge of the upper surface almost at the base of the ear ; 

 a fine probe-pointed bistoury, the blade of which is intro- 

 duced flatwise, is then inserted subcutaneoush', and has its 

 sharp edge drawn across the muscle \\-hich is pulling the ear 

 in the objectionable direction. When neatlv done either of 

 these is very difficult, and in some cases quite impossible, 

 to detect ; as e\'en if a small scar is found, it may readily be 

 passed over as being due to a bite or other injury. 



Congenital malformations of the ear are not uncommon, 

 and, if placed (as in Fig. 58) so that the orifice is open and 

 can admit dust, dirt, and other foreign bodies, will give rise 

 to considerable irritation and pain. This must of necessit^- 

 be rectified, or, as was the case in the boarhound illustrated 

 above, the animal will suffer constant annoyance. In this 

 particular instance the patient \\as continually shaking its 

 ears and holding the head on one side, as if suffering from 

 earache. In fact, it had contracted the habit of carr)-ing the 

 head in a crooked fashion. The result of the operation was 

 in e\-er)- \\ay satisfactory. 



Tumours. 



Tumours on the ear - flaps are not very common. A 

 papilloma or fibroma is occasionall}' met with, and can be 

 readily removed b)' excision under the usual antiseptic and 

 anaesthetic precautions (see pp. 2 and 23). Those of the 

 interior of the ear have already been dealt with (p. 78). 



