512 PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 



sis is simple. When the tongue alone is affected, its increase 

 in size, the yellow ulcerations of the surface, the tumors, and 

 the impossibility to trace the trouble to trauma are leading 

 symptoms. The discovery of the parasite removes all doubts. 

 Tuberculosis of the tongue may present these changes, but 

 tuberculous lesions .nearly alw^ays present ulcerations with 

 festooned borders, and the contractility and motility of the 

 organ are preserved. Bacteriological examination and tuber- 

 culin will render the differentiation possible. 



Pflug refers to a glossitis not actinomycostic, that is re- 

 fractory to iodine treatment. This lesion must be rare and 

 a mere knowledge of its existence is sufficient to prevent 

 errors. 



PROGNOSIS. — Actinomycosis is always a grave malady. 

 It is not always fatal, however. The lesion may be a 

 cutaneous tumor. In any event the cure is always difficult 

 and its existence is always to be dreaded. The maxillary 

 localization is always very grave and often incurable, be- 

 cause it is often accompanied with buccal lesions, on which 

 it is difficult to operate, and because the iodine treatment 

 on which so many hopes have been based is so often disap- 

 pointing. Lingual actinomycosis appears to be less grave. 

 The majority of observers agree that it yields to the use of 

 iodine, even when the lesions are accentuated to the point 

 of almost preventing deglutition. 



TREATMENT.— The methods of treatment vary ac- 

 cording to the cases. The cure should be advised and under- 

 taken only when it is economical. And in the majority of 

 cases, unless the subject is a working animal or a valuable 

 sire, it must be acknowledged that it is not. With these 

 reservations the practitio,ner might follow the following di- 

 rections : 



(a) Lingual Actinomycosis. — Internal actinomycosis, 

 when recognized, and the lingual form are amenable to the 



