THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XXXIV. 
No. 408. 
DECEMBER, 1861. 
Fourth Series. 
No. 84. 
Communications and Cases. 
CARCINOMA IN AN ALDERNEY COW. 
By Charles Dickens, M.R.C.V.S., Kimbolton. 
In August last my attention was called by the Duke of 
Manchester's bailiff to an Alderney cow, about seven years 
old, which had always been much prized as an excellent 
milker. 
History .—About the month of May, last a swelling appeared 
under the right ear, which gradually increased in size, and 
was accompanied with a loss of flesh, but not of the secretion 
of milk. Two or three blisters were applied to the part, and 
some tonics and iodine exhibited internally, but without any 
amendment taking place. From the circumstance of her 
being so much wasted, and no chance existing of her re¬ 
covery, she was killed on the morning of September 9th. 
On making a post-mortem examination, besides the two 
diseased masses which are sent you, and which were situated 
under the right ear, one other was found to be attached to the 
os hyoides, and which had evidently encroached on the pha¬ 
ryngeal space to a considerable extent. Within the thorax, 
pressing upon and much diminishing the calibre of the aorta, 
a very large deposit was found, and also another one attached 
to the right lung. The latter had undergone softening in 
its interior. There were likewise some small granular bodies 
situated on the right side of the brain. 
All the other parts of the body were free from disease of this 
kind, but the spleen was found to be white in colour, and 
not more than four ounces in weight. The ileum contained 
about a handful of cinders, gravel, and finely broken glass, 
the existence of which, most probably, was to be referred to a 
xxxiv. 51 
