172 THE PATHOLOGY OF THE TEETH. 



the provender with siilpliuric acid, and we well know 

 how acids affect the teeth. If such practices be al- 

 low-ed, diseases of the teeth may be readily accounted 

 for. 



"The teeth being lowly organized, soon lose their 

 power of self-preservation. Tney are affected by the 

 general health of the aDimal. Should the function of 

 the stomach or alimentary track be deranged, the teeth 

 — from the general health of the animal being inter- 

 fered with, and from the local functional derangement 

 — of all parts of the body, are the first to suffer or de- 

 cay. Absorption of the gums, which may be caused 

 by the decayed food that lodges between the grinders, 

 is often followed by decay of the cement, which, being 

 the most exterior as well as tlie most highly organized 

 of the three substances composing the teeth, is the 

 first to yield." 



After describing the usual symptoms of diseased 

 teeth. Surgeon Gowing asks : 



" Who that has observed these symptoms, can hesi- 

 tate for a moment to acknowledge that the animal is 

 suffering pain, which, if we were to say arose from 

 toothache, would not be beheved by our employers?" 



Prof. W. Youatt says in substance ("The Horse/' 

 p. 230) : 



" Of the diseases of the teeth we know little. Cari- 

 ous teeth are occasionally seen. They not only render 

 mastication difficult, but they sometimes impart a fetid 

 odor to the food, and the horse acquires a distaste for 

 aliment altogether. Carious teeth should be extracted 

 as soon as their real state is known, for the disease is 

 often communicated to the contiguous teeth and to 



