THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 141 



to the mouth by giving raw spirits. The tongues of horses and 

 cattle are often injured by thorns, pins, needles, bones, or broken 

 teeth ; and are also affected by morbid growths, such as actinomycosis. 



234. Actinomycosis (Ray fungus), a complaint which may be 

 looked upon as a morbid change in the tissues of a part, due to the 

 presence of a vegetable micro-organism — the Ray fungus — causing 

 an enlargement, which is composed of numerous central nodules 

 with radiating fibres, having a star-like appearance (Fig. 3). 

 Cattle are apparently the most subject to the malady, although other 

 domestic animals and human beings are not free from its influence. 

 Any part of the body may be affected, yet the bones of the face, jaws, 

 and tongue are mostly attacked. When the tongue is the seat of 

 the disease, it is known as ' wooden tongue '; while the term of ' lumpy 

 jaw,'' or « big jaw,' is applied when the disease affects the jaw. It is 

 thought that the complaint is caused by the animals eating rough 

 fodder, such as barley-straw, the barbs of which lacerate the lining 

 of the cheeks or the surface of the tongue, wherein the germic 

 organisms find a suitable bed for their development. When the 

 tongue of the animal is affected, and as the case progresses, the 

 patient is found rolling that organ about, holding its nose 

 slightly up when attempting to swallow, and seems to have great 

 difficulty in getting the food passed between the molar teeth, or 

 rolled about for mastication. Saliva also flows freely from the 

 mouth, the patient loses flesh rapidly, but, as a rule, is not hide- 

 bound ; and, on examining the mouth, the tongue is found to be very 

 much enlarged and hard in places, causing considerable loss of power. 

 When the bones of the face and jaws are attacked, the disease 

 crawls on very slowly, and finally a large swelling is noticed on the 

 side of the face or jaws, the surrounding tissues become implicated, 

 and at times the complaint gets so far advanced before anything 

 particular is noticed that the molar teeth are, on examination, found 

 loose in their sockets, and can be easily removed with the fingers ; 

 eventually offensive, filthy-looking, fistulous sores break out on the 

 face, with a disagreeable discharge and large fungoid granulations. 



235. Treatment. — Iodide of potassium, given in 2-drachm doses, 



