THE BONES OF THE MOUTH — THE PALATE. 141 



have a sharp bit for the headstrong and obstinate beast; yet if that bit is severely 

 and unjustihably called into exercise, the animal may rear, and endanger himself and 

 his rider. There can, however, be no occasion for a thousandth part of the torment 

 which the trappings of the mouth often indict on a willing and docile servant, and 

 which either rendi-r the mouth hard, and destroy all the pleasure of riding, or cause 

 the horse to become fretful or vicious. 



Small ulcers are sometimes found in the various parts of the month, said to be pro- 

 duced by rusty bits, but oftener arising from contusions inflicted by the bit, or from 

 inflammation of the mouth. If the curb-bit is in fault, a sna.lle or Pelham-bit should 

 be used. If there is inflammation of the mouth, a little cooling medicine may be 

 administered ; and to the ulcers themselves, tincture of myrrh, diluted with water, 

 or alum dissolved in water, may be applied with advantage. 



THE BONES OF THE MOUTH. 



The bones in, and giving form to the mouth, are the superior maxillary or upper 

 jaw (6, p. 68, and /, p. 70), containing the grinders: the anterior maxillary, or lower 

 part of the upper jaw (b, p. 68, n, p. 70, ;•, p. 72), containing the upper-nippers or 

 cutting-teeth; the palatine bone (below 8, p. 7"2), and the posterior ma-'Tiilary or 

 under jaw (a, p. 68, and ic, p. 12), containing all the under-teeth. 



The superior maxillary is, with the exception of the lower jaw, the largest bone in 

 the face. It unites above with the lachrymal bone (?", p. 70) ; and, more on the side, 

 with the malar, or cheek bone, k ; and a portion of it, continued upward and under- 

 neath, enters into the orbit. Above, and on the front of the face, it unites with the 

 bones of the nose, j, and below, with the inferior maxillary, 7i. That which most 

 deserves notice in it externally, is the ridge, or spine, seen at b, p. 63, but better deli- 

 neated in the cut of the head, p. 72, continued from the base of the zygomatic arch, 

 and across the malar bone. It, and the surface beneath, serve to give attachment to 

 the masseter muscle, concerned, almost as much as the temporal one, in the act of 

 chewing. The dark spot (m, p. 70, and seen likewise at p. 68) marks the foramen, 

 or hole, through which a branch of the fifth pair of nerves proceeds, to give sensi- 

 bility to the lower part of the face. As it approaches the teeth, this bone separates 

 into two plates, and these are divided by long partitions, vvliich contain and firmly 

 hold the upper grinders. The lower plate then projects inwards, and forms {i, p. 72) 

 the principal portion of the roof of the mouth, and the floor of the cavity of the nose. 

 The corresponding bone on the other side, meets its fellow in the centre of the palate. 

 The upper jaw-bone contains in it large cavities besides those for the teeth, and these 

 open into, and enlarge the cavity of the nose. They are connected with the voice, 

 but not with the smell ; for the expansion of the olfactory, or smelling nerve, has 

 never been traced beyond the bones and membranes of the proper cavity of the nose. 

 The maxillary sinuses are generally filled with matter in bad cases of glanders. 



Below these, are the anterior maxillary bones (/, p. 68, a, p. 68), containing the 

 upper cutting teeth, with the tushes belonging to both the upper and anterior bones. 

 These are the bones to which (see cut, p. 72) the upper lip is attached. The supe- 

 rior and anterior maxillary bones are separated in animals with long faces, like the 

 horse, that, by overlapping each other, strength might be gained. 



The palatine bone forms but a very small portion of the palate. It surrounds the 

 edge of the communication between the cavity of the nose and the back parts of the 

 n^outh. 



THE PALATE. 



Adhering to a portion of the three bones just described, and constituting the lining 

 of the roof of the mouth, is the palate (t, p. 72), composed of an elastic and dense 

 substance, divided into several ridges called bars. The following cut gives a view 

 of them. 



It will also point out the bleeding place, if it should occasionally be deemed advi- 

 sable to abstract blood from the mouth; or if the horse should be attacked with 

 megrims on a journey, and the driver, having no lancet, should be compelled to make 

 use of his knife, the incision should be made between the central and second nippers 

 on eithe' side, about an inch witJiin the mouth, and cutting through the second bar. 



