OPERATIONS ON THE MOUTH, PHARYNX, ETC. 135 



surgeon that the tumour present in the mouth is either 

 sarcoma or carcinoma (cancer), the sooner the poor beast 

 IS painless!)' destroyed the better. They may be recognised 

 by the mahgnancy of the growth, the rapidity of its spread 

 after it has once fairly started, its fcetor when once ulcera- 

 tion has commenced, and an enlargement of the contiguous 

 lymphatic glands. 



In the case illustrated in Fig. 104, Professor McFadyean 

 verified the diagnosis ; the face was terribly deformed, the 

 teeth were loose (several had disappeared), and it was only 

 with difficulty that the patient could feed at all. 



Epulis. — This name is given to a hard, smooth periosteal 

 tumour which appears on the gums at the edge of the alveoli 

 of the teeth. There ma}' be only one, or the tumours may 

 be numerous. Sometimes they are benign in character, 

 looking almost like a fibroma, but occasionally they are 

 malignant, and the}- may cause much inconvenience when 

 feeding, especially if they are multiple. Unless causing pain, 

 they are best left alone. If it is necessary to remove them, 

 this can be done with a ligature or b}' the aid of a scalpel or 

 scissors, the slight haemorrhage which follows being readily 

 stanched by any styptic, such as adrenalin or perchloride of 

 iron. Occasionally the root will contain bony material, and 

 the bone forceps or saw have to be requisitioned. If, by 

 recurring, they prove to be malignant, operative measures 

 will only afford relief for a time. 



Polypus. — This condition has been recorded in the Eus- 

 tachian tube of a cat.^ It was in a position which was quite 

 inoperable. 



Sealing and Cleaning- the Teeth. 



Removal of tartar from the teeth is frequently necessary in 

 old animals, both in the dog and cat, in order to keep the 

 breath from becoming offensive, and in some instances, when 



1 Journal of Comparative Pathology, vol. \., p. 178 (P. J. Howard, 

 M.R.C.V.S.). 



