DISEASES OF THE TEETH AND MOUTH. 275 



digestive process would be no more than might reasonably 

 be expected from the constant flow of the unhealthy saliva 

 secreted by the feverish mouth and gums ; and observation 

 plainly teaches that when horses have been long troubled 

 with larapas, they are likely to be found in bad condition, 

 thin in flesh, and with a staring coat of hair. • 



TREATMENT. 



In many cases, lampas will disappear of itself. If not, 

 scarification is the first thing to be done. This should be 

 performed with the point of a very sharp knife, the object 

 being to relieve the overloaded vessels of the superabun- 

 dance of blood they contain. Great care must be taken not 

 to make the incisions too deep, or back of the third bar, just 

 behind which an artery approaches very near to the surface, 

 that will be quite difficult to close, if it should be severed 

 in this operation. Should such an accident happen, the 

 bleeding can be stopped by tying a strong cord around the 

 upper front teeth, close to the gums, and drawing it very 

 tightly. This will close the orifice, and check the hemor- 

 rhage at once. 



The use of some mild astringent will form the proper con- 

 tinuance of the treatment. Alkaline solutions will often 

 meet the requirements of the case when nothing else will. 

 Make a strong solution of chlorate of potash — one ounce of 

 the chlorate to two ounces of rain-water — and with this wash 

 the mouth and gums every morning. 



If the general health of the horse is not good, it may be 

 well to bleed once from the jugular, and give the usual alter- 

 atives — sulphur and resin — or the powders mentioned in Sec- 

 tion YII, of Chapter XXIY. 



Wq must add our emphatic concurrence in the condem- 

 nation expressed by all respectable veterinarians in regard 

 to the brutal custom of burning the bars of the mouth for 

 the cure of lampas. Much of the sense of taste and of the 

 enjoyments of eating reside in this part of the mouth, and 

 the bars are of great service, as before stated, in moving the 



