OPERATIONS ON THE SKULL, FACE, LIPS, ETC. C)7 



sore with a dark necrotic centre, this becoming a great dis- 

 figurement to the animah Its chances of heahng are greatly 

 retarded because it is in a part which is not kept dry, and is, 

 in addition, continually rubbed either by food or with the 

 teeth and tongue. 



Treatment. — Anesthetize with cocaine and thoroughly 

 scrape with a sharp curette or the point of a scalpel ; then 

 paint three times a da^' \\ ith pure tincture of iodine for three 

 or four days, and afterA\ards paint with iodine lotion (i to 8 

 of water). Internally administer potassium iodide. If, after 

 two or three weeks, medicinal treatment fails, a more exten- 

 sive operation must be performed. The edges of the ulcer 

 must be cut awaj' for some little distance around the diseased 

 portion, the parts being drawn together with sutures, or 

 treated as an open wound at discretion. 



Prognosis should always be very guarded, as although the 

 patient may appear to recover and keep right, even for three 

 or four months, relapses are common. 



Pus in the Antrum. 



Every now and again one is brought m contact with a case 

 of \\hat appears to be an abscess in the face, a purulent 

 discharge appearing a short distance below the inner canthus 

 of the eye. In the early stages the animal shakes its head, 

 rubs its face on the ground, and shows pain on external 

 pressure. If unfamiliar with the cause, the wound is treated 

 antiseptically, and ^^•ill probably heal, but in a week or two 

 the discharge breaks out again, and is as bad as ever. The 

 true cause of the mischief lies in the antrum at the root 

 of the fourth premolar of the upper jaw, and until this is 

 extracted no permanent cure may be expected. Occasionally 

 the tooth behind this has to be removed as well. 



Instruments.— A pair of molar forceps, probe, mouth-gag, 



and small syringe. 



7 



