110 TKEATMENT OF DISEASES 



be very difficult for the animal to retain food within the mouth 

 during mastication. The hard palate is not very highly organized, 

 nor so sensitive as some persons seem to suppose. It is said to be 

 the seat of lampas, which is a mere state of relaxation, causing the 

 folds or bars to appear tumefied, so as to be almost on a level with 

 the upper incisors. For the removal of this painless tumefaction, a 

 barbarous remedy is resorted to, viz., the actual cautery,* an opera- 

 tion never necessary nor safe ; and, knowing these facts, no gentle- 

 man, I think, will ever allow so noble and useful an animal as a 

 horse to be thus painfully used. Knowing as we do the function of 

 the bars, and setting aside the barbarity of the actual cautery, such 

 an operation must be injudicious, because it involves a loss of struc- 

 ture, and the bars are never so prominent as before. Aside from 

 this, we are doing our very worst to create a sore mouth. 



Structuke of the Palate. — It is composed of epithelium (scarf 

 skin), condensed basement membrane, mucous and areolar, or ceUu- 

 lar tissue. 



The mucous membrane makes up the greatest part of the thick- 

 ness of the palate. Its sensibility, when compared with that of the 

 skin, is very inferior. It seems to be better adapted for absorption 

 and secretion than for the function of sensation. 



While discussing this matter, we may as well inform the reader 

 what is the best plan of treatment for tumefaction or relaxation of 

 the palate, known as "lampas." The remedy is astringent lotions, 

 and proper attention to stable management. A little powdered 

 alum rubbed on the palate once daily, for a short time, will fre- 

 quently effect a cure. 



CHOLERA IN ANIMALS. 



It is said that during the prevalence of cholera in Bromberg, 

 horses were unusually subject to cholic and other intestinal affec- 

 tions, and sometimes passed blood with their evacuations. 



ROT. 



According to the best authorities, rot may be considered a para- 

 sitic disease. It is actually a state of systemic debility, the para- 

 sites abounding simply because the system is in a condition favorable 

 for their development. The remedy is, equal pai'ts of salt, sul- 

 phur, charcoal and ginger ; the dose varying from a tea spoonful 

 to five or six drachms occasionally. 



PLETHORA. 



Mr. Garagee says, "The subject of plethora, especially with re- 

 gard to the changes suddenly occurring in the blood from a variety 



♦ Actual cautery. Red hot Iron. 



