Diseases of the Mouth and Tongue. 55 



ULCERS. 



These usually arise from excessive deposit of tartar on, 

 or decay of, the teeth, or from gastric derangement. 



Treatment. — If from tartar, the teeth should be scaled ; if 

 from decay, removed. Where they are due to gastric derange- 

 ment, aperient medicine, with restricted plain diet, must be 

 prescribed. If the ulcers do not disappear under this treat- 

 ment, they may be occasionally touched with lunar caustjc. 



BLAIN, 

 Or enlargement of the tongue, with the presence of vesicles 

 on its lateral and under surface, is a disease to which the 

 lower animals are very subject. The dog, however, is not so 

 in proportion to horses and oxen. Blain is more frequent 

 in spring and autumn, and often assumes an epidemic 

 form. 



Symptoms. — These come on suddenly, without any trace- 

 able cause or v/arning. The tongue is considerably 

 swollen and red, and has the appearance of being engorged 

 with blood ; its sides and under surface are studded with 

 large livid vesicles. The salivary secretion is considerably 

 increased, and rapidly changes from its normal character 

 to a purulent, bloody, and foetid discharge, due to the 

 formation of unhealthy or gangrenous ulcers at the base of 

 the vesicles. 



Treatment In the earlier stages the malady will 



generally yield to aperient medicine, and astringent 

 washes to the mouth. When the disease has become ad- 

 vanced, ulcers succeed the vesicles, and a foetid discharge 

 accompanies them. A weak solution of chloride of zinc 

 should be used to the mouth, and the. ulcers occasionally 

 touched with nitrate of silver. 



Tonics are the most suitable medicinal agents. 



