DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE TRACT 11 



membrane may crack and bleed. Owing to its dry- 

 ness, the epithelium of the tongne may not exfoli- 

 ate normally, and, being retained, may form a 

 transparent "beak or horn" on the end of the 

 tongue. This dryness of the mouth and the re- 

 sultant changes are what is known as pip. 



Treatment. — In such cases the treatment con- 

 sists in the first place of measures directed at the 

 primary cause; that is, the condition which if^ 

 producing the dryness of the mouth. The hard- 

 ening and drying of the membranes of the mouth 

 may be relieved by the application, several times 

 daily, of a mixture of equal parts of glycerin and 

 water. 



If cracks and ulcers have formed they should 

 be bathed in a solution of potassium chlorate and 

 water, twenty grains of the former to the ounce 

 of the latter. This is best accomplished by dip- 

 ping the bird's beak into a vessel containing this 

 solution five or six times and repeating every hour 

 or two. If pus has formed in the ulcers, they may 

 well be cleaned with a few drops of hydrogen per- 

 oxide before the potassium chlorate solution is 

 used. 



Stomatitis— Sore Mouth 



The ulcerative form of sore mouth, due to fungi 

 (molds), has been described under external para- 

 sites. (See thrush, aphtha, page 56.) Quite fre- 

 quently in cases of avian diphtheria or roup we 

 find diphtheric patches in the mouth and over the 

 tongue, as illustrated in Fig. 48. This is described 

 under respiratory diseases. (See page 151.) 



Simple catarrhal inflammation of the mouth is 

 not common. It may be caused by some irritants, 

 or by bacterial (germ) invasion of an injured 

 part. 



