TUMOR OF THE LIP. 239 



jects considerably beyond the lower ; so much so, that the 

 inferior incisor teeth, instead of meeting their opponents, 

 come in contact, when the mouth is shut, with the bars of the 

 palate; while the teeth of the superior jaw have no opposing 

 surface whatever, unless the lower lip can be so regarded. 

 This deformity i^ not a very common occurrence ; nor is it 

 one altogether so objectionable, since the horse has the power 

 of gathering up his hay and corn with his lips, although the 

 process (as well as the retention of the food while it is being 

 transferred to the grinders) is but imperfectly performed, as 

 is seen by the animal, while feeding, scattering and wasting 

 part of his corn, and slobbering at the same time. In 

 grazing, the parrot mouth must be greatly more disadvan- 

 tageous : much difficulty must of necessity be experienced in 

 nipping off the grass; and this seems to me to be the chief 

 objection to the purchase of such a horse : at least, this 

 formed the ground of objection, I remember, of a recruit 

 horse with a parrot- mouth which was offered to the 1st 

 Life Guards. 



TUMOR OF THE LIP. 



Now and then horses are brought to us with swollen lips, 

 or rather lower lip, for I do not remember much about the 

 upper. There grows a swelling of one side of it, confined to 

 that side, and more apparent when the lip comes to be 

 everted than before. It has a solid, firm feel, is perhaps 

 altogether about the size of a pigeon^s eg^, and is hot, and 

 gives pain when squeezed. I have on no occasion been able 

 to trace any connection between the tumor and the 

 reception of injury of any kind, from the bit, though I have 

 known it to arise from a bite or sting : otherwise, I have been 

 forced to regard its origin as spontaneous. I have ordered fo- 

 mentation and frequent steaming of the muzzle, and cathartic 

 medicine. In the course of the second or third day, how« 

 ever, it has generally happened, that the tumour has burst 

 inwardly, and discharged a thin ill-looking purulent matter, 

 composed probably of pus and the secretion of the lip; after 



