NEUROMAS—TUMORS. 393. 
importance, and whether it is for pseudo-neuromas, fibromas, myxomas, or, 
on the contrary, true neuromas, the treatment is the same. 
Rigot has several times found in the metacarpal or metatarsal regions, 
upon the course of plantar nerves, circumscribed nodosities, hard, varying 
in size from that of a bean to that of a pigeon’s egg. Small, they were 
moveable under the skin; large, they had contracted with it intimate ad- 
hesions. Very painful to pressure, they gave rise to lameness. The 
author describes them.as follows: ‘‘ They are composed of a very hard white 
substance, by which the nervous threads are separated and pushed out- 
wards, and spread round the tumor, flattened as little bands. In other 
cases, this scirrhous substance entirely surrounds the nerve, compresses it 
and forms with it an homogenous mass; and again, in two of these 
tumors, the largest I have ever seen, I have found in their center a cavity 
containing a gelatiniform substance, mixed with a very small quantity of 
blood.” * 
Rey, Delwart, Lafosse, have reported also examples of “‘ neuromas ” or 
“tumors ’”’ developed upon nervous cords. 
What is the proper interference to use against these alterations, called in 
old times “ ganglions of nerves?’”’ Rigot and Lafosse have tried, in vain, 
alteratives, compression and actual cauterization. Iodide of potassium 
is without action. Excision is the only treatment that has been success- 
ful. A horse lame for two months on the left foreleg was operated by 
Rigot; there was ‘“‘on the course of the external plantar a tumor as big 
as a large bean, very hard, moveable, painful to pressure of the thumb.” 
The animal was cast and the leg placed in proper position. The skin 
incised, the tumor and the nerve were exposed upon a certain length. 
The neoplasm was excised with the scissors. Immediately after the opera- 
tion the lameness disappeared. ‘The wound healed rapidly. 
Lafosse found also on the inter plantar of one anterior leg a tumor, 
whose characters resembled those of fibromas due to the spiropterus 
reticulus: “The tumor had pushed forward the nerve, which was intact, 
except on its posterior border. It was composed of a fibrous tissue 
incrusted with small yellowish masses, hard, stone-like, similar to the 
tuberculous deposits so common in cattle.” 
Interference varies in its details according to the more or less intimate 
connection of the nerve with the neoplasm. When the diseased nerve is 
small, it is excised; but when it is an important trunk, it is possible to 
preserve it if the tumor is pedunculated, hanging to the nerve and resting 
on it, as in the case of Lafosse. When the tumor is central, sur- 
rounded by flattened nervous filaments, one might, under anesthesia, 
jncise the nerve, and enucleate the neoplasm in preserving intact the con- 
1 Rigot, Rec. de Med. Vet., 1829, p. 462. 
