io Veterinary Medicine. 



to cause stomatitis. Red and white clover, trefoil, hybrid and 

 purple clover, and alfalfa have all acted more or less in this way, 

 though in many cases, the food has become musty or attacked by 

 bacterial ferments. Some of the strongly aromatic plants, and 

 those containing acrid principles (cicuta virosa, cenanthe crocata, 

 mustard, etc. ) cause buccal inflammation and salivation. 



The irritation in many such cases is not due to one agent only, 

 the vegetable or other irritant may be the starting point, acting 

 but as a temporary irritant, the action of which is supplemented 

 and aggravated by the subsequent attacks of bacterial ferments on 

 the inflamed, weakened or abraded tissues. The bacteria present 

 in the mouth, food or water would have had no effect whatever 

 upon the healthy mucosa, while they make serious inroads on the 

 diseased. On the other hand the vegetable, mechanical or 

 chemical irritant would have had but a transient effect, but for 

 the supplementary action of the bacteria. Unknown alterations 

 of the buccal secretions lay the mucosa open to microbian attacks 

 of various kinds. The acidity of the saliva in cases of gout and 

 even in rhematism and the frequent tonsilitis in cases of rheu- 

 matism throw a side light on this subject. 



In horses that have the bad habit of retaining masses of half 

 masticated food in the cheeks the growth of cryptogams is 

 greatly enhanced and such food often becomes violently irritating. 



Among other mechanical causes may be named pointed or 

 barbed hairs or spines (barley awns, spikes, thorns, etc.), which, 

 lodging in a follicle or gland orifice, or in a wound of the gum 

 or mucosa, form a source of irritation or a centre for bacterial 

 growth and abscess. 



Again, irritants of animal origin must be named. These are 

 not taken by choice, but when lodged in fodder, or in the pastures 

 they are taken in inadvertently with the food. In this way 

 poisonous insects, and especially hairy caterpillars, cantharides, 

 potato bugs, etc., gain access to the mouth. 



It must not be overlooked that stomatitis occurs as an exten- 

 sion, sympathetic affection or sequel of diseases of other organs. 

 Gastritis is usually attended by redness and congestive tenderness 

 of the tongue, especially of the tip and margins, and other parts 

 of the buccal mucosa, notably the palate just back of the 

 incisors, are often involved. In other cases it appears as a com- 



