dogs: their makagbmbnt. 195 



mal to a great deal of suffering. Dog fanciers sometimes 

 cut off the exposed portion of the tongue, and thereby 

 conceal the defect ; but this is a brutal custom, and should 

 not be adopted. The animal so mutilated drinks with 

 diflSculty, and the nose ultimately becomes even more un- 

 sightly than was the appearance of the hanging tongue. 



The tongue is sometimes injured by the teeth, espe- 

 cially during fits. In such cases the wounds generally 

 heal quickly, and require no special attention. Should 

 the sores not mend, the fault is in the system. To that, 

 and not to the part, medicines should be directed, and the 

 matter will be quickly settled. 



Salivation should never be produced upon the dog. 

 The largest and strongest of these animals can but ill 

 sustain the constitutional effects of mercury ; while to 

 those of a delicate kind it is nearly certain death. It 

 may be induced by inunction, or rubbing in of ointment, 

 as surely as by calomel internally administered. Che- 

 mists mix up various ointments that are called black, blue, 

 red, white, or yellow ; and sell these as specifics for skin 

 diseases, which are in the dog all denominated mange. 

 Such things are applied to the entire surface of the body ; 

 and as they mostly contain either Turpeth or Ethiop's 

 mineral calomel, or one of the preparations of mercury, 

 no great time is required to produce their fullest effect. 

 The operation of the metal is too frequently mistaken 

 for an aggravation of the disorder ; and when the chemist 

 is next visited, he is told to make the stuff stronger, be- 

 cause the other made the dog worse. No warning nature 



