1 58 VETERINARY HOMCEOPATHY. 



especialh' coarsely-bred animals, they are very distinctly observed, 

 and in many respects the results of inflammation are very much 

 like those of strangles, with this difference only, that the glands 

 are situated in another locality; indeed, at times the parotid 

 glands are sympathetically affected in cases of strangles; the paro- 

 tid glands, on either side of the head, are rather large in size, and 

 it often happens that the suppuration which follows their inflam- 

 mation does not affect the whole gland, but only a part, and for 

 this reason the process is frequently a slow one. At other times 

 no suppuration takes place at all; the gland becomes very hard at 

 the onset, and thereafter softens without the formation of an ab- 

 scess and the discharge of matter. The symptoms are that the 

 horse is unable to move its head freely from side to side; there is 

 a good deal of swelling and pain over the seat of the glands; and 

 not infrequently the pressure upon the lar3^nx in consequence of 

 the swelling of the glands on either side of this organ produces an 

 unnatural sound in breathing. When the inflammation proceeds 

 to suppuration the localit}' of discharge shows itself by pointing 

 or swelling in various parts of the gland or glands; these, of 

 course, require poulticing and fomenting with hot water in bring- 

 ing them to a head; as a rule they burst spontaneousl}- ; if not, 

 some surgical aid is called for. To induce the rapid maturition 

 or perfection of the abscess there is nothing like Hepar sulplmr 2,'^, 

 ten grains every four hours, and after the abscess is discharged, to 

 promote healing, Silicea 6x, three times a day, is the best practice. 

 The parotid gland, to which we have been referring, has for its 

 function the secretion of saliva to aid the process of digestion; for 

 the convenient discharge of the saliva into the mouth, so that it 

 can readily mix with the food as mastication goes on, a small duct 

 (or tube) connected with the lower portion of the gland, about 

 the size of a small quill pen, passes along the side of each cheek 

 and there empties itself. Occasionally these ducts are blocked up 

 by small, round or oval calculi (or stones) which consist mainly 

 of lime, and for the well-being of the horse it is necessary that, 

 when present, they should be removed; this operation necessitates 

 the serv'ice of a skilled surgeon; the presence of these calculi will 

 be discernible by the swelling they produce, and the hardness of 

 the substance. 



An adcident occasionally brings about the establishment of a 



