Paralysis of the Tongue. 37 



the oesophagus and crop of two chickens. Martin tried in vain 

 to inoculate it on other fowls, and Newman failed to convey it 

 from child to chicken by feeding. The element of individual 

 susceptibility was manifestly lacking. Prom its seat in the crop 

 the malady passed unnoticed during life. In cases that can be 

 recognized, treatment would be the same as in young mammals. 



PARALYSIS OF THE TONGUE. GLOSSOPLEGIA. 



Causes : Nervous lesions — central or peripheral, parasitic, inflammatory, 

 infectious, traumatic or degenerative. Symptoms : unilateral and bilateral, 

 Treatment : remove cause ; use nerve stimulants, embrocations, blisters, 

 frictions, galvanism, suspension of tongue. 



Paralysis of the tongue depends on a lesion of the medulla ob- 

 longata, or of the 7th or 12th cranial nerve. The central lesions 

 may be connected with coenurus or other parasites in the brain, 

 hydrocephalus, meningitis, cerebro-spinal meningitis, infectious 

 pneumonia, abcess, (strangles), and tumors. The distal or nerve 

 lesions may be due to neuroma, tumors, traumas, lacerations, 

 bruises, or violent distension of the tongue. Parotitis, abcess of 

 the guttural pouch and tubercle may be added as occasional 

 causes. As direct traumatic injuries those caused by wearing a 

 poke by a habitual fence-breaker, excessive dragging on the 

 tongue in operations on the mouth, and compression of the 

 tongue by a loop of rope passed over it, require mention. 



Symptoms, In unilateral paralysis the affected half of the 

 tongue remains soft and flaccid and is liable to be crushed be- 

 tween the teeth, the active muscles of the opposite half pushing 

 the organ over to the paralyzed side. In bilateral paralysis the 

 tongue hangs out of the mouth, and being crushed and torn by 

 the teeth, it swells up, and may even become gangrenous. 



Treatment. Will vary according to the cause. After removal 

 of the central or nervous lesions, the remaining functional 

 paralysis may be treated by strychnia, internally or hypodermi- 

 cally, by frictions or stimulating embrocations to the intermaxil- 

 lary region, or by electricity. The tongue must be suspended 



