Mercurial Stomatitis. 33 



have been thrown, are ready means of poisoning, acting primarily 

 on the air-passages and Inngs and later on the month. The con- 

 densation of mercury on vegetation and other food products in 

 the vicinity of factories where mercury is handled (Idria) affects 

 domestic animals directh'. Finally the small animals are poisoned 

 by eating the mercurial rat poisons, and all animals are subject 

 to malicious mercurial poisoning, with sublimate especially. 



Stomatitis with fatal pharyngitis and enteritis will result in the 

 horse from 2 drs. of corrosive sublimate. About one-half of this 

 may poison the ox, and one-fourth the sheep or goat. Rumi- 

 nants are more susceptible to the toxic action of mercury than 

 monogastric animals, one evident reason being the long delay of 

 the successive doses in the first three stomachs, so that finally a 

 large quantity passes over at once into the fourth stomach and 

 duodenum for absorption. The old too are more readily poisoned 

 than the young, as the functions of the kidneys are more im- 

 paired in age and the poison is not eliminated with the same 

 rapidity. 



Symptoms. Mercurial stomatitis is a local manifestation of a 

 general poisoning. Salivation is one of the most prominent phe- 

 nomena, the watery saliva falling in streams from the angles of 

 the mouth. The buccal mucosa generally becomes red and 

 swollen and the tongue becomes indented at the edges by pressure 

 against the molars. The gums especiall}' suffer and the teeth 

 raised in their sockets by the swelling of the periodontal mem- 

 brane, become loo.se, and easily detached. The niuco.sa of the 

 gums becomes soft and spongy, bleeds readily under pressure 

 and soon shows erosions and ulcers. This condition extends to 

 the lips, cheeks and lower surface of the tongue while the upper 

 surface of the latter organ, the fauces and pharynx commonly 

 escape. The breath and buccal exhalations are very offensive, 

 and the animal loathes food, and has little power of mastication 

 or deglutition. Sometimes the ulcers extend even to the bones. 



Along with these local symptoms there are usually gastro-in- 

 testi)ial irritation, tympany, inappetence, continuous rumbling in 

 the belly ; badly digested foetid stools, often diarrhoea, small weak 

 pulse, hyperthermia, accelerated breathing, cough, and great 

 langor and prostration. A tendency to blood extravasation is 

 .shown in sanguineous faeces, epi.staxis, bleeding from the mouth, 



