102 DISEASES OF THE MOUTH 



Treatment.— Dietetic.— Good nutritious food should be 

 given (small meat scraps, oatmeal and milk, etc.) to sustain 

 the strength. 



Surgical.— Carefully curette all the accessible lesions and 

 wash with antiseptic solutions (boric acid 2 per cent., mer- 

 curic chlorid 1-1000, the latter used with care that it may 

 not be swallowed). When the disease extends to the crop, 

 give enough boric acid (2 per cent.) solution to distend the 

 latter, then massage it thoroughly with the head held down 

 so the contents will be forced out of the mouth. Repeat this 

 daily until the appetite is improved. 



BENIGN NEOPLASMS OF THE MOUTH. 



Papillomata.— These tumors occur on the mucous mem- 

 brane of the mouth and occasionally on the margins of the 

 lips and sometimes they apparently assume a contagious 

 character. 



Symptoms.— They are noticed as small, isolated or confluent 

 growths, usually pedunculated, of a whitish color and often 

 rough (cauliflower-like) on their surface. They are found 

 most commonly at the juncture of the mucous membrane 

 and the skin, and on the inner surface of the lips, but may be 

 generally distributed over the oral mucosa. They rarely inter- 

 fere with mastication, but when present in large numbers 

 or masses they may cause some salivation and from the 

 decomposed food collecting around them a very disagreeable 

 odor is emitted. 



Treatment.— These tumors frequently disappear in a short 

 time without any treatment. However, it is best to remove 

 them by clipping off with scissors. The mouth should be 

 washed for a day or two with antiseptic solutions (alum 

 1-250; potassium permanganate 1-250). Tannic acid (2 

 per cent.) applied direct to small papillomata often causes 

 them to slough off after a few applications. 



Fibromata.— These tumors are composed of connective 

 tissue elements which may be a pure or mixed fibrous growth 



