350 MASTICATORY PARALYSIS. 



A similar ease, which, however, appeared incurable, occurred in Moller's 

 practice. A nine months old dog, used for drawing a barrow, showed 

 complete paralysis of the nerve, could not withdraw the tongue, the mouth 

 remained continually open, and in taking fluid nourishment or water, 

 the head was thrust into the fluid as high as the eyes. The muscles of 

 mastication, and particularly the temporal muscles, showed marked 

 atrophy. The tongue and buccal membrane were insensitive to injuries ; 

 twitchings occurred in the muscles of the rump, like those often seen 

 following distemper ; no improvement appealed after lengthened obser- 

 vation and faradisation. As the owner objected to have the animal killed, 

 a post-mortem unfortunately could not be made. 



Roll and Lydtin saw cases of one-sided trigeminal paralysis in the 

 horse. Roll states having found all three branches paralysed ; the skin 

 and mucous membrane of the affected half of the head and the cornea 

 being insensitive. Salivation, difficulty in chewing, and accumulation of 

 food between the cheeks and teeth existed. The mucous membrane of 

 the nose, mouth, and conjunctiva was hyper£emic. Owing to inability to 

 close the lids and protect the eye, corneal ulcers formed. Post-mortem 

 discovered fatty degeneration of the roots of the nerve and meningitis at 

 the base of the brain. Lydtin observed the disease in an old horse. 

 Marked atrophy of the masseter and temporalis muscles of the right side 

 had been developing for ten years, swallowing was difficult, salivation 

 existed, the molars showed partial shear-mouth. The animal was regarded 

 as incurable, and killed. Post-mortem showed the masseter, temporalis, 

 and pterygoid muscles completely atrophied ; their weight being only 

 one -eighth of those of the healthy side. At the base of the petrous temporal 

 bone, and just over Gasser's ganglion, lay a fibro-sarcoma as large as the 

 cerebellum, which must be regarded as having caused the paralysis. 



Cadeac saw trigeminal paralysis in a dog. Recovery occurred 

 in a week. Schmidt recorded a case where a sporting dog showed 

 sudden paralysis of the lower jaw and marked convergence of the 

 optical axes. The animal recovered in one week. 



The symptoms consist of salivation, protrusion of the tongue 

 (which is often dry on the surface), and inability to take nourishment, 

 to masticate, or to close the mouth completely. These symptoms, 

 and the fact that the mouth can easily be closed by pressing on the 

 lower jaw, distinguish this condition from dislocation of the lower 

 jaw, or from foreign bodies lodged between the molars. Masticatory 

 paralysis, as stated, is a constant symptom of rabies in the dog. 



Prognosis must be based on general principles. Where the 

 paralysis has only existed a short time, and is incomplete, some hope 

 may be given. Under other circumstances, and especially where 

 extensive atrophy and degeneration have set in, treatment is of no 

 value. In Walthrup's case in the horse, and Frohner's in the dog, 

 improvement occurred gradually. Frick records three cases in the 

 dog ; all appeared suddenly without visible cause, and all recovered 

 completely. 



