THE HORSE, ITS DISEASES. 385 



from mechanical injury, and from obstruction of its duct. In bad cases 

 of strangles or distemper, it will sometimes swell to great size and will 

 break, a fistulous sore being the termination. 



How to know it. — When the gland has become swollen, it is easilj 

 discernible by sight or feeling. There is a hard and painful lump be- 

 neath the ear, with a softer feeling about its edges. The horse carries 

 his head stiffly, chews slowly and with difficulty, and has some general 

 fever. 



What to do. — As this state of the gland is almost always preceded by 

 cold, and is accompanied by it, the treatment must be first directed to 

 the removal of the exciting cause. Place the animal in comfortable sur- 

 roundings, attend to the state of his bowels, giving 3 ounces glaubers or 

 epsom salts, in case of constipation, and a few warm mashes. Mean- 

 while, cover the affected gland with a good poultice until the inflammation 

 is subdued. 



If inflammation results from mechanical obstruction, that obstruction 

 must of course be removed before any permanent relief can be obtained ; 

 and this may require the removal of a calculus or stone from the parotid 

 duct, which can be safely done only by an experienced surgeon. 



If attention is not directed to the swelling until matter is forming, 

 allow it to approach the surface and come to a head before attempting to 

 open, to avoid cutting any of the ducts, which might result in a fistula. 

 If the tumor becomes hard, use iodine, almost to the extent of blistering. 



Any wound inflicted mechanically, as a cut into the gland, or a prick 

 with a stable-fork, must be treated externally according to its nature— 

 the main point being to close it so effectually that the salivary fluid which 

 it is the office of this gland to secrete cannot escape through the wounds 



XV. Fistula of the Parotid Duct. 



Causes. — The parotid duct, which is formed by a union of the smallei 

 ducts of the parotid gland, enters the mouth after it leaves the gland, in 

 front of the large masseter muscle of the cheeks — having passed for 

 eome distance upon the inner side of the jaw, and then turned under th« 

 lower border of the bone. The saliva secreted by the parotid gland, 

 which lies at the spot where the neck joins the jaw, is poured into the 

 mouth by this parotid duct, to be mingled with the food during the pro- 

 cess of mastication. If the mouth of this little tube is closed in any 

 way, so as to prevent the free egress of the saliva, distension of the duct 

 takes place, and the confined secretion causes sneering, inflammation, 

 and finally rupture. This stoppage is sometimes caused by hayseeds or 

 other particles of food that enter the mouth of the channel while the 



