120 THE LOWER JAW. 



relieve tne animal. A few slight incisions across the bars with 

 a lancet, or pen-knife, will remove the inflammation, and cause 

 the swelling to subside ; indeed, this scarification of the bars in 

 lamp as will seldom do harm, although it is far from being so 

 necessary as is supposed. The brutal custom of the farrier, who 

 sears and burns down the bars with a red-hot iron, is most objec- 

 tionable. It is torturing the horse to no purpose, and rendering 

 that part callous, on the delicate sensibility of which all the 

 pleasure and safety of riding and driving depend. It may be 

 prudent, in case of lampas, to examine the grinders, and more 

 particularly the tushes, in order to ascertain whether either of 

 them is making its way through the gum. If it is so, two inci- 

 sions across each other should be made on the tooth, and the 

 horse will experience immediate relief. =^ 



THE LOWER JAW. 



The posterior or lower jaw may be considered as forming the 

 floor of the mouth {a, Fig. 1, or w, Fig. 3). The body, or lower 

 part of it, contains the under cutting teeth and the tushes, and 

 at the sides are two flat pieces of bone containing the grinders. 

 \t>>QQ the preceding cuts of the anatomy and tissues of the head]. 

 The joint which connects the lower to the upper jaw, unlike that 

 in carnivorous animals, is so constructed, that it not only admits 

 of the simple motion of a hinge, but of a lateral or grinding 

 motion, necessary to break down vegetable fibre, and fit it for 

 the stomach. 



* Note by Mr. Spooner. — It is almost impossible that the swelling of the 

 bars of the mouth, denominated lampas, can interfere with the process of 

 mastication, when the horse is in the stable and feeding on grain, for we 

 well know that tlie food is ground as in a mill, by the 'molar teeth. It often 

 happens, however, that connected with this lampas, there is an inability to 

 masticate properly ; the horse quids his food, as it is called, that is, throws 

 it out of his mouth in rolls covered with saliva. On the same principle as 

 " Tenterden steeple being the cause of Goodwin sands," the lampas has been 

 regarded as the cause of this imperfect mastication. If we look farther, 

 however, -we shall almost invariably tind that the gums are swelled gene- 

 rally, and particularly the membranous tissues covering the lower jaw-bone, 

 between the molar and incisor teeth ; so much so, that when the horse at- 

 tempts to masticate, this membrane gets between the molar teeth and 

 causes pain, and interrupts the process of mastication. This state of the 

 parts is often oveilooked, and the horse becomes weak and thin from not 

 having sufficient nutriment. This disease, if it can be called so, is com- 

 monly termed the Rags, or Washes, and is relieved by cutting off a portion 

 of the membrane by means of a pair of scissors ; the bleeding relieves the 

 inflammation, and the cicatrizatinn of the wound causes the membrane to 

 contract, so as to be put out of the way of further injury from the teetk 

 The b.orse should have mashes for some days after the operatioa and care 

 muist be taken that tlie bit does not injure the denuded part. 



