THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XXIX, 
No. 339. 
MARCH, 1856. 
Fourth Series, 
No. 15. 
Communications and Cases, 
CANCER AFFECTING SOME OF THE NERVES, 
WITH THEIR GANGLIA ; AND ALSO A POR- 
TION OF THE BRAIN OF A COW. 
By G. W. Varnell, M.R.C.V.S., Assistant-Professor, 
Royal Veterinary College. 
Considering the subjoined description of some morbid 
parts recently*- dissected by me to possess some degree of in- 
terest to the profession, I avail myself of the opportunity 
afforded by the pages of the Veterinarian , to give publicity 
to the same. 
A brief history of the case in which the morbid parts 
occurred has been communicated to me by Mr. H. Flower, 
Student at the. College, and is as follows : 
“ About two years since, we were called in to attend a cow, the property 
of a gentleman residing in our neighbourhood. On examination we per- 
ceived a cauliflower excrescence growing from the membrana nictitans, 
about the size of a strawberry, from which issued an ichorous discharge 
that excoriated the adjacent parts, and which bled on the slightest touch. 
We at once decided upon taking it out, and this was accordingly done, the 
parts being subsequently touched with Argent. Nitrat. After this, the cow 
appeared to go on well for about twelve months, without any reappearance 
of the cancerous growth. At the conclusion of' that time, we were again 
sent for, and found the cornea had become of a bottle-green colour, and that 
the sight of the eye was completely gone. About three months after this, 
a fungoid growth sprouted from the cornea, which increased in size very 
rapidly, but was repressed by- the application of a little Alumen Ustum. 
Shortly after this, the eye receded considerably into the socket, and even- 
tually it sloughed entirely away. Some weeks afterwards, she became 
partially paralysed, and was unable to masticate. The lower lip was pen- 
dulous ; the ear hung down by the side of the neck on the affected side ; 
difficulty of deglutition was experienced, and the saliva flowed from the 
XXIX. 
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