DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 149 



friction surface and the lateral faces of the teeth can be 

 examined simultaneously by letting the index and middle 

 fingers glide over the former, the thumb and the remaining 

 fingers over the latter. Abnormal conditions of the teeth 

 can usually be felt far better than they can fee seen. We 

 should observe the presence or absence of sharp points, slant- 

 ing friction surfaces, shear jaws, interrupted jazvs, project- 

 ing teeth, short teeth, carious and broken teeth, cavities, etc. 



III. Throat and Esophagus. 



Examination of the throat and esophagus is restricted 

 to external inspection and palpation. 



..Inspection. Diffuse swellings in the region 

 of the pharynx occur in phlegmonous conditions of the 

 mucous membrane (pharyngitis) . Circumscribed 

 swellings indicate the presence of abscesses and tumors. 



Palpation. Increased temperature and sen 

 sitiveness indicate acute inflammation which may be 

 either diffuse (pharyngitis) or circumscribed (development 

 of abscesses) . The consistency is firm, yet yielding ; 

 even in abscess formation distinct fluctuation is rarely pres- 

 ent here. Circumscribed painless swellings of firm consist- 

 ency indicate the presence of tumors, usually melanosarcoma 

 in old gray horses and actinomycoma in cattle. Palpation 

 of the esophagus serves to detect the presence of for- 

 eign bodies, mostly observed in cattle in the form of pieces 

 of potatoes, apples, corn cobs, etc. Esophageal diverticula 

 and stenoses cause periodically recurring occlusions of the 

 esophagus. Ingestion of food causes the esophagus to dis- 

 tend — sausage like. Such animals cease eating, or, when 

 they attempt to eat or drink, regurgitation of the ingested 

 mass through the nostrils takes place. 



Examination with a probe or probang has no special 

 value; the dilated esophagus, regurgitation, vomiting of 

 food and symptoms of choking are sufficient to base upon 



