358 Veterinary Medicine. 



Attempts have been made to establish a new outlet by boring 

 through the lachrymal bone into the nose, but without a perma- 

 nent success. It has also been advised to obliterate the lachrymal 

 ducts and sac, on the one hand and to excise the lachyrmal 

 gland on the other, but the proposed cure is worse than the 

 disease. 



DISEASE OF THE LACHRYMAI, CARUNCI.E. 



The caruncle is inflamed in conjunctivitis. When this inflam- 

 mation leads to hypertrophy it is known as encanthis. This is a 

 common condition in dogs and the caruncle may increase to the 

 size of a pea or acorn, and by compressing the canaliculi it leads 

 to a profuse overflow of tears on the cheek. At first there is 

 the acute congestion of conjunctivitis, but later there may be in- 

 duration and pallor. 



The treatment of this condition consists in astringent and seda- 

 tive coUyria in the early inflammatory stages, and later in the 

 ablation of the hypertrophied mass. The caruncle is seized with 

 a pair of rat-tooth forceps and snipped off with curved scissors, 

 the free bleeding being afterward checked by cold water. 



In cases that seem, by reason of excessive vascularity ill 

 adapted to this method, the hypertrophied mass may be tied at 

 its base with a stout silk thread so as to cut off the supply of 

 blood, and cause it to slough off. A collyria of boric acid (4 per 

 cent.) or mercuric chloride (0.02 per cent.) may be used to 

 prevent infection. 



Tumors of the Caruncle are met with, such as fibroma 

 (Worz), Sarcoma and Melanosarcoma. For all alike the com- 

 plete extirpation of the neoplasm is demanded. 



