284 REPORT ON THE DISEASES OF FAEM HORSES. 



under my care for this condition alone, and varying in age from 

 one to four and a-half years, many of which, having been badly 

 fed during the previous winter, suffered extremely at the time 

 when demands were made upon them, and rapid progress in 

 growth should have been made. 



Teething is attended with great danger in the human subject 

 — convulsions, as a sesult of the attendant fever, being always 

 dreaded. Although we cannot go so far as to assert that such 

 extremes are the rules so far as regards our equine patients, 

 there is still no doubt whatever that they do not suffer one whit 

 the less. Not only is the process of shedding peculiar to the 

 front or incisor teeth, but also is a property conferred upon the 

 molars or grinders, six of which are placed above and below, on 

 either side of each jaw, in the back part of the mouth, almost 

 beyond observation. Although the milk or temporary teeth are 

 produced with apparently little difficulty, up to the age of twelve 

 months, after that period, to nearly five years, these are removed 

 gradually and in successive pairs, others starting beneath, and 

 causing their attachments to become daily more insecure, still, 

 however, adhering to the sensitive structures which form a portion 

 of the surrounding tissues. Motion of the jaws produce a clicking, 

 whistling sound, the ragged teeth are displaced, irritation of the 

 cheeks and tongue, as well as gums, ensue, which give*} rise to 

 the following 



Symptoms. — There is considerable fever, increased pulse, with 

 partial or total loss of appetite, and other disturbed functions, 

 and in a majority of cases considerable fcetor of breath. The 

 tongue is fevered, dry, and hot. Mastication is a great diffi- 

 culty, and although there is an evident desire for food, each scrap 

 is seized by the lips, but dropped without being taken farther 

 in. At other times, particularly in the early stages and mild 

 cases, portions are partially chewed and dropped. This is called 

 " quidding " the food. At length the shell teeth are detached, 

 and often found in the manger, when afterwards each day the 

 difficulty of mastication becomes less. In some instances the 

 debility is so great, especially in neglected cases, that nothing 

 short of absolute nursing and good support by soft and nutritious 

 food will be of benefit. Under these conditions tumefaction of 

 the gums and palate is observed, for which true ignorance 

 prescribes the actual cautery at a succession of intervals, until 

 the imaginary disease, " Lampas " so called, shall disappear. 

 During which the poor creature is doomed to endure an indefinite 

 amount of additional and unnecessary pain. At other times a 

 ruder kind of scarification is performed by means of sharply 

 pointed horse nails ; these being forcibly pushed through the 

 palate causes hemorrhage from the blood vessels, and not un- 



