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Melanosis of the Peritoneum in a Bullock
454
The Veterillary
J oItr1lal.
\ \T hen the back was split down the bodies of several of the dorsal vertebra! were pigmented, as were also the bodies of two or three of the lumbar ve rtebr a! , and in the spinal canal in the lumbar region there was a small melanotic tumour about the size of the end of the little finger, elongated in shape, pressing upon the spinal cord, thus accounting for the paraly sis of the hind legs . The six th rib on the near side also showed an area of softening and pigmentation ex tendin g through a portion of its body. The heads of the three last ribs on the near side were fractured at the necks. Whether or not this was done at the time she was ridden horseback or later it is not easy to decide, but as the dorsal vertebra! with which these ribs ar ticulated were pigmented, degenerati ve changes in the bones in contact would account for the brittleness, as two or three of these ribs were also fractured near the cartila ges of prolongation, due no doubt to the mare dropping her entire weight into the sli ngs when the loss of power in the hind legs became total ; it is not unlikely that all the fractures occurred at the same time, especially as there did not seem to be any process of repair under way at the upper extremities of the ribs. There were a lso pigmentations in the mamma! . An interesting feature of the case is that the mare did not show any external indications of melanosis to speak of, as is so common in grey horses. There were only three small nodules on the under side of the dock, each about the size of a pea. MELANOSIS OF THE PERITONEUM IN A BU LLOCK. BY GE O. H. WOOLDRID GE, F.R.C. v.S ., R OYA L VE TERINARY COLLEGE ,
LOND O ~:.
I AM indebted to Mr. Elton Bell, M.R.C .V.S ., Municipal Ve terinary Officer of Penang, Straits Settlements, for the specimens here described. In his letter, Mr. Bell says: "The melanotic specimens are from a c hestnut bullock, and I should think the case is unique. It was an abattoir case, and I could get no history. The periton eum only was affected, and after a very thorough examination the carcase otherwise ap peared normal." The specimens consisted of the omentum and spleen of a bullock. They had been preserved in glycerine, and wrapped in cotton-wool soaked in glycerine and then packed in a hermetically sealed tin and enclosed in a box. The omentum arri ved in excellent condition under thi s treatment; the spleen was in fai rly good condition a lso, but glycerine would not appear to be a good preserva ti ve for that organ for permanent mu seum specimens , as th e spleen became rather soft and more pulpy. It was, howeve r, in good condition for examination . The omentum presented a very pretty arborescent appearance, almost uniformly affected throughout. A portion was cut off for museum purposes, and a photograph of that portion is here reproduce d. The melanotic pigment was deposited immediately beneath th e peritoneum, and was not quite so abundant in those portions of the omentum where there was mos t fa t. The peritoneal covering of th e spleen was studded irregularly with patches of melanin. The sple nic substance, as may be seen from the incision, shown in the photograph, was n ot invaded with the pigment. It is probable that Mr. Bell is correct when he expresses the opinion that the case is unique.
FIG .
FIG.
I. - Melanosis of the Omentum.
2.-Mela nosis of Peri oneum covering the Spleen _
45 6
The Veterinary '.1ouY1lai.
FIG. I .-Bladder of Dog, opened to show Calculus in Position .
p
FIG. 2.- L ate ral view of Bladder.
The Veterillary
J oItr1lal.
\ \T hen the back was split down the bodies of several of the dorsal vertebra! were pigmented, as were also the bodies of two or three of the lumbar ve rtebr a! , and in the spinal canal in the lumbar region there was a small melanotic tumour about the size of the end of the little finger, elongated in shape, pressing upon the spinal cord, thus accounting for the paraly sis of the hind legs . The six th rib on the near side also showed an area of softening and pigmentation ex tendin g through a portion of its body. The heads of the three last ribs on the near side were fractured at the necks. Whether or not this was done at the time she was ridden horseback or later it is not easy to decide, but as the dorsal vertebra! with which these ribs ar ticulated were pigmented, degenerati ve changes in the bones in contact would account for the brittleness, as two or three of these ribs were also fractured near the cartila ges of prolongation, due no doubt to the mare dropping her entire weight into the sli ngs when the loss of power in the hind legs became total ; it is not unlikely that all the fractures occurred at the same time, especially as there did not seem to be any process of repair under way at the upper extremities of the ribs. There were a lso pigmentations in the mamma! . An interesting feature of the case is that the mare did not show any external indications of melanosis to speak of, as is so common in grey horses. There were only three small nodules on the under side of the dock, each about the size of a pea. MELANOSIS OF THE PERITONEUM IN A BU LLOCK. BY GE O. H. WOOLDRID GE, F.R.C. v.S ., R OYA L VE TERINARY COLLEGE ,
LOND O ~:.
I AM indebted to Mr. Elton Bell, M.R.C .V.S ., Municipal Ve terinary Officer of Penang, Straits Settlements, for the specimens here described. In his letter, Mr. Bell says: "The melanotic specimens are from a c hestnut bullock, and I should think the case is unique. It was an abattoir case, and I could get no history. The periton eum only was affected, and after a very thorough examination the carcase otherwise ap peared normal." The specimens consisted of the omentum and spleen of a bullock. They had been preserved in glycerine, and wrapped in cotton-wool soaked in glycerine and then packed in a hermetically sealed tin and enclosed in a box. The omentum arri ved in excellent condition under thi s treatment; the spleen was in fai rly good condition a lso, but glycerine would not appear to be a good preserva ti ve for that organ for permanent mu seum specimens , as th e spleen became rather soft and more pulpy. It was, howeve r, in good condition for examination . The omentum presented a very pretty arborescent appearance, almost uniformly affected throughout. A portion was cut off for museum purposes, and a photograph of that portion is here reproduce d. The melanotic pigment was deposited immediately beneath th e peritoneum, and was not quite so abundant in those portions of the omentum where there was mos t fa t. The peritoneal covering of th e spleen was studded irregularly with patches of melanin. The sple nic substance, as may be seen from the incision, shown in the photograph, was n ot invaded with the pigment. It is probable that Mr. Bell is correct when he expresses the opinion that the case is unique.
FIG .
FIG.
I. - Melanosis of the Omentum.
2.-Mela nosis of Peri oneum covering the Spleen _
45 6
The Veterinary '.1ouY1lai.
FIG. I .-Bladder of Dog, opened to show Calculus in Position .
p
FIG. 2.- L ate ral view of Bladder.