OVARIAN TUMOUR IN A PONY. 
705 
about eleven years old, from an immense ovarian tumour, 
weighing as much as fifteen pounds. In this instance the 
existence of ovarian disease was not suspected during life, 
the enlargement being thought to depend simply upon an 
accumulation of fluid within the abdominal canal. Recourse 
was therefore had to paracentesis of the abdomen, by which 
operation about one pint of sero-sanguiueous fluid was with¬ 
drawn. 
In Mr. Worm’s case, on the contrary, it appears that he 
was enabled to detect the enlargement of the ovary, but he 
did not think it prudent to operate, in consequence of the 
animal having suffered so much from long-continued con¬ 
stitutional disturbance. 
Mr. Worm has not, however, told us anything of the 
nature of the operation which, under other circumstances, 
he would have had recourse to. Would he have attempted 
to simply evacuate the fluid from the interior of the tumour 
by puncturing it through the peritoneal cavity, or of removing 
the entire mass by a more bold surgical operation? In 
our opinion, neither of these operations, separately, or even 
both conjoined, would have succeeded; nor do we think that 
an operation for the removal of the diseased ovary vrould 
have been successful even in Mr. Bovett’s case. Nevertheless, 
to entertain the idea of having recourse to an operation in such 
cases is a sure means of exciting professional inquiry into the 
circumstances under which it would be justifiable, as well as 
how it ought to be performed, and on what kind of animal^ 
whether mare, cow, ewe, or bitch, it would be most likely to 
be attended with success. 
In the cow and bitch the peritoneal cavity may be opened 
almost with impunity, in so far as the risk of peritonitis 
supervening is concerned, but in the mare experience has 
shown that such a procedure is attended with considerable 
danger. An operation on this animal should therefore be 
avoided as a rule, or if undertaken it must be so con¬ 
ditionally and experimentally. 
The value of a correct diagnosis in the cow rests, to a 
great extent, on the veterinary surgeon being enabled to 
advise that the animal be destroyed while in fair condition, 
for such disease is not likely to deteriorate the meat as 
human food. 
In the bitch we see many reasons why an attempt may be 
made to remove an ovarian tumour. In the first place, 
there is, as before stated, but little risk incurred in opening 
the peritoneal cavity, and thus the operation is rendered 
comparatively safe. Secondly, the size of the animal is not 
