STRANGLES. 149 



swellings which accompany or indicate glanders, by their being larger, 

 generally not so distinct, more in the centre of the channel or space 

 between the jaws, and never adhering to the jaw-bones. The farriers 

 call them vives, and often adopt cruel and absurd methods to disperse 

 them, as burning them with a lighted candle, or hot iron, or even cutting 

 them out. They will, in the majority of instances, gradually disperse, as 

 the disease which produced them subsides ; or they will yield to slightly 

 stimulating embrocations ; or, if they are obstinate in their continuance, 

 they are of no further consequence, than as indicating that the horse has 

 laboured under severe cold or strangles. 



During catarrh or inflammation of the mouth, the little projections 

 marking the opening of these ducts on either side of the bridle of the tongue 

 are apt to enlarge, and the mouth under the tongue is a little red, and hot 

 and tender. The farriers call these swellings barbs or paps, and as soon 

 * as they discover them, mistaking the effect of disease for the cause of it, 

 set to work to cut them close off. The bleeding which follows this opera- 

 tion somewhat abates the local inflammation, and affords temporary relief: 

 but the wounds will not speedily heal ; the saliva continues to flow from 

 the orifice of the duct, and running into the irregularities of the wound, 

 cause it to spread and deepen ; and even when it heals, the mouth of the 

 duct being frequently closed, and the saliva continuing to be secreted 

 by the submaxillary gland, it accumulates in the duct, until that vessel 

 bursts, and abscesses are formed, which eat deeply under the root of the 

 tongue, and long torment the poor animal, and when closed, after a great 

 deal of trouble, are very apt to break out again for months and years 

 afterwards. 



All that is necessary with regard to these paps or barbs is to abate the 

 inflammation or cold which caused them to swell, and they will very soon 

 and perfectly subside. He who ever talks of cutting them out is not fit to 

 be trusted with a horse. 



A third source of saliva is from glands under the tongue (the suhlhigual 

 glojids), which open by many little orifices under the tongue, resembling 

 little folds of the skin of the mouth, hanging from the lower surface of 

 the tongue, or found on the bottom of the mouth. These likewise some- 

 times enlarge, during cold or inflammation of the mouth, and then they 

 are called gigs, and bladders, and faps in the. month. They have the 

 ^ appearance of small pimples, and the farrier is anxious to cut them off, 

 or burn them down. The better way is to let them alone, for in a few 

 days they will generally disappear. Should any ulceration follow them, a 

 little tincture of myrrh, or a solution of alum, will readily heal them. 



Beside these three principal sources of saliva, there are little glands to 

 be found thickly studded on every part of the mouth, cheeks, and lips, 

 which pour out a considerable quantity of fluid, to assist in moistenmg and 

 preparing the food. 



Connected with these glands, and particularly with the submaxillary and 

 parotid glands, and being either an inflammation of them, or of the cellu- 

 lar substance around them, is 



THE STRANGLES. 



This is a disease principally incident to young horses — usually appearing 

 between the fourth and fifth year, and oftener in the spring than in any 

 other part of the year. It is preceded by cough, and can at 

 first be scarcely distinguished from common cough, except that there is 



