EXAMINATION OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 29 



On opening the mouth there is oftea a very offensive odor from 

 it. This indicates either an ulceration of the mouth due to ulcer- 

 ative stomatitis, which has erroneously been called scurvy, or it 

 is seen in any disease of the teeth, in dyspepsia, fetid bronchitis, 

 or in gangrene of the lungs; it is frequently noticed in very sick 

 animals where the mouth is filled with unhealthy mucus or par- 

 ticles of food in the mouth and throat. In eases of poisoning by 

 phosphorus or prussic acid the odor of the drug is frequently de- 

 tected in the breath. On examining the teeth and gums we may 

 find large ossific deposits or caries of the alveolar process (dental 

 alveolar periostitis), causing separation of the gums and loosening 

 of the teeth. An intensely inflamed state of the gums, bleeding 

 and ulcerated, indicates ulcerative stomatitis or mercurial poison- 

 ing; very often tumors (epulides) are found on the inner border 

 of the incisor.-!, and interfere more or less with eating. The cut- 

 ting of the milk (temporary) teeth and the change of dentition 

 (cutting of the permanent teeth) may cause intense inflammation 

 of the entire mouth. The tongue is now examined; it may be 

 drawn to one side, indicating paralysis, but must not be confounded 

 with a normal "lolling" of the tongue so often seen in pugs and 

 king charles spaniels. A slight enlargement of the tongue may 

 be noticed in all inflammations of the mouth; it may show scars 

 or wounds from an animal biting it while in a spasm. The tongue 

 will be found to be enlarged in all fevers, in most cases dry; and 

 where there is difiicult respiration and large quantities of carbon 

 dioxide in the blood this organ is dark blue in color (cyanotic). A 

 slight white coating is seen on the posterior part of the tongue of 

 the majority of healthy animals; if, however, it is very copious 

 and covers the greater part of the organ, it indicates acute or 

 chronic disease of the stomach; a brownish-red coating indicates 

 some grave internal disease, such as an acute case of distemper. 



The mucous membranes of the cheeks and inferior surface of 

 the tongue after the administration of violent poisons are found 

 to be gray in color, hanging in shreds, and intensely inflamed, 

 and later on abscesses form on the sloughed parts. Elongated 

 swellings, about the thickness of the finger, are often found on the 

 inferior surface of the tongue, and run parallel with the frenum. 



The salivary glands frequently form abscesses, and after inflam- 

 mation become indurated. The secretion of saliva is sometimes 



