OPERATIONS ON THE TEETH. 331 



sidewise out of the way, will, in a great majority of cases, easily 

 lead to the detection of the cause which interferes with masti- 

 cation. 



First of aU, when the mouth is opened, a peculiar symptom 

 will be observed, consisting in a change in the salivary secretion. 

 This will be increased more or less, and as the saliva will escape 

 freely, a peculiar acid odor will be noticed proceeding from it, and 

 on looking for the cause of this trouble, if it be one or other of 

 the irregularities already mentioned, such as the projection of one 

 of the teeth, the vicious inclination of their crowns, the sharp 

 edges, etc., critical inspection will soon reveal them. The teeth 

 wiU be found to be soiled with greenish food-detritus on the side 

 where the difficulty exists, and on that same side the animal will 

 be found to have stored the surplus food which he has accumu- 

 lated between his teeth and the cheek. 



If, however, in consequence of being situated so far back in 

 the mouth that the eye fails to detect the condition of the part, 

 he can complete his examination with his hands. With due prac- 

 tice in this mode of investigation, one may become sufficiently 

 expert in the manipulation of the mouth to dispense entirely with 

 the aid of the speculum ; though of course there will be cases 

 when in order to establish a thorough diagnosis of the exact and 

 positive condition of the part, this tustrument cannot be dispensed 

 with. There are also conditions where the examination cannot 

 be carried out in the standing position, even with the assistance 

 of means of restraint, and the animal must be thrown down, and 

 even, says Bouley, " placed under the effects of ether. In this condi- 

 tion, the jaws are readily kept open and immobile, the tongue is free 

 from contraction, and the hands and fingers can be carried over 

 the entire length of the dental arches without the slighest danger 

 to the operator." 



Manual exploration removes all doubt about the diagnosis, 

 since the surgeon may, by skillfully practicing the taxis, recognize 

 all the irregularities present, whether the vicious direction of the 

 dental surfaces, the uneven wearing of the teeth, the cavities 

 which may exist in their thickness, or the condition of their im- 

 plantation with that of the alveolar cavity, etc. 



When the mucous membrane has been excoriated by the sharp 

 projections of the teeth, when the gums are highly inflamed, and 

 the jawbones have been bruised, and are necrosed and suppurating; 



