INFLAMMATION OF THE PAROTID GLAND 209 



26. The carotid ratery, where it emerges from below the subsca- 

 pulo-hyoideus muscle. Its path under that muscle, by the side of 

 the internal jugular, is also marked by a dotted line, showing the 

 connection of the two vessels. The figures are placed at the spot 

 where it would be most convenient to operate, if circumstances should 

 require that a ligature should be passed round the carotid. 



27. The submaxillary artery given off from the main trunk, and 

 pursuing its course anteriorly, to bury itst^f beneath the angle of the 

 lower jaw. It is afterwards seen emerging from under that bone in 

 company with the sub-maxillary vein, and the parotid duct, and be- 

 ing the lowest of the three. 



28. The temporal artery, at which the pulse may often be conve- 

 niently examined. 



29. One of the arteries supplying the parotid gland. 



30. The eighth pair of nerves, or the motor organic nerves. 



31. One of the linyuales, or nerves by means of which the tongue 

 is moved. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE PAROTID GLAND. 



The parotid gland, in cattle, is very subject to inflammation. Con- 

 tusions or wounds of the part are frequent causes of inflammation ; 

 and this gland, in the ox, sympathizes strongly with catarrhal affec- 

 tions of tlie upper air-passages. A bullock will rarely have hoose, 

 accompanied by any degree of fever, without some enlargement and 

 tenderness of the parotid. There is scarcely an epidemic among 

 cattle, one of the earliest symptoms of which is not swelling of the 

 head and neck. These swellino-s under the ear are o-uides on which 

 we place much, and perhaps the gi'eatest, dependence, in judging of 

 the intensity and danger of the disease ; and particularly, and most 

 of all to be dreaded, its tendency to assume a typhoid form. These 

 enlargements have been confounded with strangles, but through 

 want of proper examination of the parts. 



Inflammation of the parotid gland is accompanied by heat a«d 

 tenderness of the part, and which render the beast unwilling to eat, 

 or to ruminate ; and sometimes by so much swelling as to threaten 

 immediate suffocation. This is one of the varieties of swelling about 

 the head of cattle characterized by the expressive term of strangullion. 



The swelling of the parotid gland extends oftener and more rap- 

 idly downward than upward, reaching the throat, and pressing upon 

 all the neighboring vessels. When there is much swelling, suppura- 

 tion and abscess are at hand, and should be encouraged by fomenta- 

 tion ; and as soon as any motion of pus can be detected, the tumor 

 should be freely lanced ; the fluid will readily escape, and the ab- 

 scess fill up : but if the swelling be suffered to burst, ulcers will be 

 formed, exceedingly difficult to heal, and that will too often run on 

 to gangrene. It is a singular thing that while the flesh of the ox i* 



