634 
ON POLYPI OF THE NOSTRILS. 
ance of the polypus. In damp weather it enlarges, the pedicle 
becomes more distensible, and the tumour hangs lower in the 
nasal cavity. If the weather is dry, and the membrane of the 
nose dry, the pedicle becomes somewhat dry too, and contracts, 
and the tumour itself diminishes, and it rises higher in the cavity; 
and that which can be plainly seen to-day will be invisible to¬ 
morrow. I have not had opportunity to observe this in the 
horse; but in polypus of'the vagina in bitches, I have found the 
tumour close to the external orifice on one dav, and on the next 
day there was not a vestige of it to be seen; and, probably, on the 
third day it has been lower than on the first, and more easily 
seized and disposed of; but I confess I have not traced any con¬ 
nexion between these changes and the changes of our variable at¬ 
mosphere. Here again is occasion for the exercise of patience. 
If we cannot fairly reach the tumour, do not let us go to work 
at disadvantage. To-morrow, probably, the pedicle will have 
lengthened, and we shall have a better chance. 
We are now bringing down the tumour for operation : we must 
not use any great force. The polypus with which we have to do is 
notone that must be torn out by the roots. It is not the fungous 
bleeding polypus the pedicle of which may be a prolongation and 
portion of itself. The pedicle here is a mere duplicature of skin; it 
may be divided in any part of its course, and, divided at any assign¬ 
able point, the tumour may with equal advantage be removed. 
Beside this, if the pedicle is attached to the delicate gossamer 
fabric of the turbinated bone, it cannot be forcibly torn thence 
without portions of the bone being likewise detached : and, con¬ 
nected with this, we should recollect that there is a disease of the 
nostril of the horse which is the occasional result of injury of 
almost every kind inflicted on the Schneiderian membrane. 
The tumour being brought down, a ligature must be passed 
round the pedicle, and as high up as it can conveniently be 
placed. If the polypus can be then returned to the nose, the 
animal will suffer very little inconvenience; and in a few days the 
polypus will slough off, and the pedicle will contract, and gra¬ 
dually disappear. 
If the polypus is so large that it cannot be well returned, when 
it is brought down, we must, notwithstanding, use the ligature. 
If we draw it but tight enough we shall cut off the supply of 
blood to the tumour, and we may immediately excise it, although 
it would be better if a few 7 hours could pass between the appli¬ 
cation of the ligature and the excision of the part. Except the 
pedicle is exceedingly thick there will be little or-no haemorrhage. 
Should some bleeding occur, it will probably soon stop, or may 
be stopped by the cautery, which should however be avoided if 
