2(52 DISEASES OF THE TONGUE. 



the appearances consist in ulceration of the base of the tongue just 

 in front of the swelling. Though such lesions are usually due to 

 actinomycosis their true nature is not always recognised. 



Appearances and Progress. The tongue gradually becomes thicker 

 and larger, especially at its base, and, on account of its stiffness, 

 feeding is rendered difficult, whilst in swallowing, the head 

 and neck are abnormally extended. Salivation frequently exists, 

 and difficulty in breathing may appear, particularly during masti- 

 cation and swallowing. At the same time respiration becomes audible, 

 whistling or rattling. These symptoms slowly becoming aggravated, 

 the mouth is examined, and the tongue found thickened, its base 

 being unusually stiff and hard. The veins are abnormally large, 

 and the surface has a dark blue colour, as in strangulation, but acute 

 inflammatory symptoms (pain and oedema) are absent. Hard 

 swellings, which vary from the size of a pea to that of a pigeon's 

 egg, are occasionally visible on the surface, and may show signs of 

 erosion. They are best felt when the tongue is allowed to glide 

 through the hand. Zschokke states that these swellings lie im- 

 mediately beneath the mucous membrane, and can thus be readily 

 detected. Not infrequently they are of a distinctly yellow colour. 

 In other cases the tongue is simply increased in size. After a time 

 the submaxillary lymphatic glands swell, and at a later stage oedema 

 is present. The difficulty in swallowing prevents the animals taking 

 anything but fluid nourishment, and slow wasting ensues. 



Henschel and Falk at the Berlin slaughter-houses saw actinomy- 

 cosis of the tongue appearing as white or yellow hard swellings, 

 varying in size from a pin's head to a bean, sometimes lying in the 

 mucous membrane, sometimes in the deeper tissues. The disease 

 always started from the lower (anterior) border of the dorsum. They 

 think that a certain connection exists between the localisation of 

 the disease and the manner in which oxen gather their food. In 

 grazing, the tongue is rotated and passed sideways round the blades 

 of grass. Injuries are thus inflicted which afterwards allow the 

 entrance into the tissues of actinomyces or of particles of food. Of 

 the total animals slaughtered, 91 per cent, showed such excoriations, 

 and 72 per cent, were affected with actinomycosis. 



Treatment. Prognosis is unfavourable, and animals fit for the 

 butcher had best be slaughtered. Fluid food is indicated. Although 

 hitherto looked upon as incurable, some cases recover after local 

 scarification and the use of iodine. Bassi, Thomassen, Ostertag, 

 and others recommend iodide of potassium internally, 1 to 2\ drachms 

 in a quart of water for six succeeding days. This is said, however, 



