ON TUMOURS IN CATTLE. 
385 
gular-like space, almost a dead flat. The hills in front approach- 
ing each other formed Glen Brora to the west, from which the 
river Brora runs into the sea at Brora. The farm of Inver-Brora 
stands nearly in the centre of this flat, which is, perhaps, not one 
hundred feet above the level of the sea, and is thus exposed to the 
chilling wind from the sea on the east, and to the concentrated 
blasts which sweep down Glen Brora on the west. In one part of 
the farm there is a bank, which, in a great measure, shelters the 
field next it from the sea breezes, but at the same time it exposes 
it in a greater degree to the western gales, which Mr. Hood in- 
formed me were extremely severe. Another field or haugh was 
protected from both ; but from the richness of the soil, this part of 
the farm is kept always in tillage, and the cattle therefore derive 
no protection in it. There is not a belt of wood on the farm to 
afford protection from any wind that blows. The farm-steading, as 
Mr. Hood states in his letter, was good and commodious, the situa- 
tion dry — the soil light and dry— the water slightly inclined to a 
mossy tint, but sufficiently good — the grasses on the farm had 
been examined by an excellent practical botanist, and nothing un- 
usual or noxious was found, but still the disease continued to pre- 
vail amongst the cattle on the farm. 
There were two of the cattle affected with the disease, and Mr. 
Hood placed them entirely at my disposal. The one was imme- 
diately destroyed, for the purpose of examining into the nature 
of the disease ; and I proceeded to attempt the removal of the tu- 
mours from the throat of the other. On dissecting the first, I 
found the tumours presented a somewhat malignant character, 
being what is usually called medullary sarcomatous tumours : but 
these I found varied in their character, and in some cases proceeded 
to form an abscess, which, when laid open, frequently healed 
up kindly, and the animal afterwards did well ; while, in other 
cases, the tumours remained in an indolent state for a time, and 
then increased in size, without, however, proceeding to a free 
suppuration, but continued to increase, until by their bulk they 
interrupted inspiration, prevented deglutition, and destroyed the 
animal by the continued irritation they kept up. The lymphatic 
glands of the throat seemed to be the parts most liable to be affected ; 
but the disease occasionally attacks other parts of the body. In 
some cases, these abscesses form, open, and discharge pus for a 
time ; but gradually falling into an indolent state, the matter becomes 
unhealthy, and sinuses are formed which assume the character of 
chronic disease ; while in others the abscesses, after forming to a con- 
siderable length, stop short, the matter becomes partly absorbed, and 
the whole assumes a chronic character, with the medullary-like ap- 
pearance I have already noticed. 
I may here remark, that there is in cattle a strong tendency to 
