STRANGULATION OF THE TONGUE. 257 



black colour. In these cases, however, the surface of the mucous 

 membrane is destroyed and eventually cast off. 



Treatment. The first thing is to remove the foreign body. This 

 maybe sufficient, but is not always, for the mucous membrane, being 

 relatively thick and strong, is unable to yield to the extent required 

 by the excessive swelling, and the tongue runs a risk of becoming 

 necrotic. In such cases, scarification is advisable, longitudinal 

 incisions being made with the bistoury over the whole swelling, and 

 to the extent of half its thickness. Deeper incisions might wound 

 the lingual artery and give rise to profuse and dangerous 

 bleeding. The swelling generally subsides rapidly after this opera- 

 tion, but at times may continue for several days. When necrosis 

 is well established the affected portion of the tongue should be 

 excised ; or in cases where extension of the necrosing process is 

 threatening, amputation through sound tissue should be performed. 

 Bathing with alum solution assists healing and checks putrefactive 

 changes. As long as much swelling remains, fluid nourishment must 

 be given, and in cats and dogs this may appropriately be administered 

 as a drench. 



(2.) DISEASES OF THE TONGUE. 



MECHANICAL INJUEIES. 



With the exception of those wounds previously described produced 

 by foreign bodies, injuries to the tongue occur most frequently in 

 horses. The use of the bit or halter sufficiently accounts for this. 

 Moreover, stablemen, in order to control unruly or sensitive horses 

 during grooming, not infrequently pass a cord around the tongue. 

 If this be sharply pulled the tongue may be cut and the frsenum 

 torn, and the thinner the cord the more easily does the accident 

 occur. Snaffle bits, especially if worn, produce the same effect. In 

 horses and ruminants the tongue may also be injured by sharp or 

 displaced teeth. 



Laceration of the frsenum lingua? also occurs in horses, sometimes 

 resulting in suppuration, and the production of a fistula or sinus. In 

 oxen the dorsum of the tongue may be abraded by rough fodder. Steffen 

 saw the point of a foal's tongue become gangrenous and slough, 

 after having been violently handled during some dental operation. 

 His report of the case points to a blood-vessel having been ruptured. 

 The injuries so frequently found near the base of the tongue in oxen 

 are not always of a traumatic nature ; more frequently they are 

 due to actinomycotic infection, which will be described later. The 

 r.s. s 



