360 LAMPAS, A DISORDER OF YOUTH. [BOOK II. 



LAMPERS, or LAMPAS. 



Cause. — As before said, page 334, lampas is oc- 

 casioned by inflammation in the mouth. This is 

 brought on by inability in the glands to secrete the 

 saliva necessary for lubricating the gums. The pa- 

 rotid glands, though liable to the disorder we term 

 vives, yet the derangement of their secretory func- 

 tion does not always show itself by the vives : it may 

 continue to flow, though not in sufficient quantity 

 to meet the increased heat of the young animal, as 

 it grows towards maturity, and fills up the juices of 

 its system inordinately. Idle or ill-worked young 

 horses are most liable to lampas. 



Symptoms. — A swelling of the bars of the month 

 follows the rising vigour and heat of the animal ; 

 they then project beyond the surface of the upper 

 front teeth, and interfere between them while feed- 

 ing. The pain thus produced is not necessarily 

 very great, and the animal ceases to chew of a sud- 

 den, it afterwards commences anew, with greater 

 caution ; but as the disorder becomes worse, it re- 

 fuses food entirely, and starvation would be the 

 consequence, if something did not intervene which 

 is always sure to happen. 



The cure would be effected of itself, if the horse 

 lived in a state of nature ; or, more probably, in that 

 state he never would have contracted the pain. 

 Over-gorging and consequent fulness of habit hav- 

 ing occasioned the blood to flow luxuriantly towards 

 the region of the head and throat, so that disorder 



