Diseases of the Mouth and Tongue. - 55 
/ ULCERS. ' 
These usually arise from excessive deposit of tartar on, 
or decay of, the teeth, or from gastric derangement. 
Treatment.—lf from tartar, the teeth should be scaled ; if 
_ from decay,removed. Where they are due to gastric derange- 
ment, aperient medicine, with restricted plain diet, must be 
prescribed. If the ulcers do not disappear under this treat- 
ment, they may be occasionally touched with lunar caustic. 
BLAIN, 
Or enlargement of the tongue, with the presence of vesicles 
on its lateral and under surface, is a disease to which the 
lower animals are very subject. The dog, however, is not so 
in proportion to horses and oxen. Blain is more frequent 
in spring and autumn, and often assumes an epidemic 
form. 
Symptoms.— These come on suddenly, without any trace- 
able cause or warning. The tongue is considerably 
swollen and red, and has the appearance of being engorged 
with blood ; its sides and under surface are studded with 
large livid vesicles. The salivary secretion is considerably 
increased, and rapidly changes from its normal character 
to a purulent, bloody, and fcetid discharge, due to the 
formation of unhealthy or gangrenous ulcers at the base of 
the vesicles. 
Treatment.—In the earlier stages the malady will 
generally yield to aperient medicine, and astringg¢nt 
washes to the mouth. When the disease has become ad- 
vanced, ulcers succeed the vesicles, and a foetid discharge 
-accompanies them. A weak solution of chloride of zinc 
should be used to the mouth, and the ulcers occasionally 
touched with nitrate of silver. 
Tonics are the most suitable medicinal agents. 
