HYGIENIC TREATMENT 163 
long-haired varieties the hairs are sometimes found 
imbedded in the faecal mass, which can only then be 
removed by cutting away all attached hair with scissors. 
So little attention is paid to this important and element- 
ary matter that I feel bound to call attention to it. It 
has been no uncommon occurrence to have dogs brought 
to my surgery in this condition—often with the history 
that the dog is constipated and in great pain, when the 
sole trouble has proved to be neglect on the part of the 
owner, leading to a purely mechanical obstruction to 
defecation. In any case of debilitating disease where 
the subject is of the long-haired variety, it is a sound 
precaution to clip away all hair from the vicinity of the 
anus, prevention in such instances being better than 
cure. 
The ears should be periodically examined, as occa- 
sionally otorrhcea is set up, the discharge of which 
would need constant removal and the application of 
medicaments. 
Cleansing the Mouth and Teeth—Where the patient 
has an evil-smelling mouth, dirty teeth, or inflamed 
buccal mucous membrane, the nurse must also devote a 
little time to this condition by the application of mouth- 
washes, consisting of solutions of permanganate of 
potash (1 to 1,000), of Sanitas (1 to 4 or 5), or hydrogen 
peroxide (1 to 4). A very nice mouth-wash, known as 
Glyco-Thymolin, can be purchased from any chemist 
in tablet form, one tablet being dissolved-in water for 
edch application. A solution of boracic acid is some- 
times used, but it is a very mild antiseptic, and I prefer 
the agents previously mentioned. Cleansing of the 
mouth and teeth may be carried out with a small sponge 
attached to the end of a stick or held with forceps, or a 
soft toothbrush may be employed. 
Exercise.—Differences of opinion exist as to the advisa- 
