ACTINOMYCOSIS. 



119 



throut^h the mucous membrane of the mouth on account of dis- 

 eased teeth ; or through some abrasion of the mucous membrane 

 of the mouth, gullet or stomach. It is also generally agreetl that 

 the parasite is usually taken in with the food. It is possible that 

 this parasite may live through one stage of its development, or 

 even multiply upon the surface or in the tissues of some of the 

 common fodder plants, particularly barley and rye. 



An animal with a discharging abscess about the head would 

 of course infect food in mangers, feeding troughs and grass in 

 the pasture, thus ofifering abundant opportunities for infection. 

 Pastures wherein cases of lumpy-jaw seem to develop rather 

 commonly should be placed under cultivation or avoided. Ani- 

 mals with discharging abscesses should be killed or confined. 



FIG. 46. ACTINOMYCOSIS. (M. H. iJ.) 



Inferior maxilla of cow shown in Fig. 45. 



Treatment. — There are three possible lines of treatment : 

 surgical, caustic, and internal medication. 



Surgical treatment. — This should be undertaken, onlv bv 

 a trained veterinarian on account of the large blood vessels and 

 other important structures involved. 



Caustic. — Dr. Detmers, formerly of the Ohio Experiment 

 Station, described several years ago a method of local treatment, 

 in which he proposed to remove the tumor by the deeply caustic 

 action of powdered arsenic. He reported a large number of cases 

 treated with satisfactory results. His method was essentially as 

 follows : 



