CAUSE AND SYMPTOMS. VIVES— A GLANDItLOUS DISORDER. 127 



gles, when we might reasonably suppose nature had ridded itself of a disposi- 

 tion to secrete any more such pestilent matter. Want of the usual head 

 clothing is then the immediate cause of vives. The violence deemed neces- 

 sary in breaking colts also causes the vives, when the pressure on the parotid 

 glands, at reining up the animal, irritates the parts. 



Symptoms. — Swellings under both ears, generally, that occasion manifest 

 pain when touched : the animal coughs more than one which has the stran- 

 gles, and a difficulty of swallowing soon becomes evident. Stiffness or aridity 

 of the neck follows, and the patient makes frequent efforts to swallow the 

 saliva, which it is the proper function of these glands to secrete, but which 

 they are soon disabled from performing, by reason of the cold checking or 

 chilling those functions. Of glands generally, their construction and uses, the 

 reader will find many instructive particulars in the first book, at page 29; 

 these of which we now speak being called " the parotid glands," from their 

 situation ; aiid as they now refuse to perform the office of secretion, the watery 

 humours flow from out the animal's eyes, which it partly closes, as if he were 

 about to sleep. For want of the same supply of saliva, inflammation of the 

 mouth and gums takes place, producing what is vulgarly called " the lampers," 

 or swelling of the roof of the mouth near the front teeth, which 1 shall speak 

 of separately a little further down. Sometimes the swelling of these glands, 

 if not assiduously subdued, contiimes a fortnight or longer, becoming more 

 troublesome everyday, and evidently occasioning very much pain; all this 

 while the horse loses condition, is feverish, and at length so weak as to totter 

 when he moves even in his stall. Spreading downvv'ards under the throat, 

 they at length terminate in strangles, and are then to be treated as such. 



The cure of the vives that arises from simple cold is very easy, but not so 

 that which is connected with a general bad habit of body; for then the swell- 

 ing and subsequent sujipurationof the abscess must be considered as an effort 

 of nature to relieve itself from something that is offensive to it, and must be 

 treated as a disease of the whole system, nature having adopted this or that 

 particular spot for demonstrating its offence. But I have already explained 

 my opinion on this interesting point of veterinary pathology, much at large, 

 when treating of other tumours and abscesses. Vide page 110, &lc. Often- 

 times it happens that the vives depend upon glanders or farcy, of which they 

 are then a correspondent symptom, and will only subside when the virulence 

 of these are reduced. However, no harm can come of fomenting the i)art 

 with warm water at least ; and after it has been well dried, clothe the head so 

 as to keep off the air, upon the principle of " remove the cause, and the effect 

 ceases of course." The application of the bandage described at page 114, 

 will sufficiently clothe the part. 



Much of the pain and tension of the tumour will be alleviated even by this 

 treatment, and a slight attack will be removed by following it up with fomen- 

 tations of marshmallows; or, anoint the parts with ointment of marshmallows, 

 and cover the head as before. A bread poultice affords relief, and bleeding 

 in stubborn cases of simple vives is often necessary, with purgatives. In- 

 deed, the body should be opened, whether we bleed or no : always leave open 

 the main road for such humours to escape by. This alone will carry olF a 

 recent attack, provided the head clothing be kept on at the same time, nature 

 performing the remainder by absorption. To assist nature however, employ 

 the fi.ilowing 



Lotion. 



Sal ammoniac, half an ounce, 

 White vinegar, 6 ounces, 

 Goulard's extract 1 ounce; 

 Mix and rub the part well twice a day. 



