544 
SCI It RHUS OF THE TONGUE IN A HEIFElt. 
your opinion upon it. I would not have troubled you ; but you 
were so kind as to say, the last time I had the pleasure of seeing 
you, that your opinion on any case should be always at my ser- 
vice, if I required it, when in practice. 
1, Osnaburgh Place, New Road, 
. 4th Aug. 1841. 
My dear Sir, — You give me rather a puzzling case to solve. 
I arn much inclined to think that the disease of the cow’s 
tongue is of a cancerous nature, and, in the desperate situation in 
which the poor animal is, I should at once have recourse to deci- 
sive measures, as some would deem them. 
Ascertain, on the superior or dorsal portion of the tongue, the 
situation at which the tumour and the tenderness are greatest. 
Form to yourself, as accurately as you can, some notion of the 
depth of the tumour or abscess, and freely cut down upon it 
with a scalpel or carved bistoury, in a longitudinal direction. 
The bleeding will be easily managed by means of the torsion for- 
ceps, or the cautery. A lotion of the chloride of lime may, per- 
haps, be needed. I should be thankful for an account of your 
proceedings. 
Faithfully your’s, 
W. Youatt. 
Wick war, Aug. 15, 1841. 
My dear Sir, — I received your letter of the 4th inst., and im- 
mediately explained to the owner of the poor beast the plan of 
treatment suggested by you for her relief. I did not perform any 
operation upon her tongue, as, upon carefully examining the same, 
I could not perceive any fluctuation ; therefore thought it useless 
to cause her unnecessary pain by an operation. 
The owner had her killed on Tuesday last. She was very 
much emaciated. I examined her tongue and surrounding parts, 
and found it, as before described to you, — enlarged from near the 
root almost to the tip, but very little altered in colour. U pon cut- 
ting into it, great resistance was offered to the knife, the cut 
surface feeling hard and granular. In some parts there were lit- 
tle abscesses, containing thick yellowish matter, of the size of a 
horsebean. The whole substance appeared studded with tuber- 
cles. The disease extended throughout the whole of the 
tongue. 
I believe, Sir, the disease may be termed “ Scirrhus,” or what 
is vulgarly called cancer of the tongue. 
I remain, my dear Sir, your obliged servant, 
James IIowell. 
