336 



OPERATIONS ON THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



Fia. 340.— Samples of Tooth Easps. 



for use and transportation ; some have the rasp fixed to a solid 

 handle, and again, the handle in others is moveable, and may be 

 changed as indications may present themselves. Their number 

 in this country is about incomputable, and vrhile many which we 

 find registered in the patent office are of real value, many others 

 have no reason for being beyond their maker's whim. As we 

 have said, the advantages which any of them may possess depend 

 more on special conditions than on the result to be obtained, in 

 the removal of the small, sharp edges of the external surface of 

 the tooth, or its lateral faces, resulting from an excessive develop- 

 ment in the enamel. 



Whatever may be the file which the veterinary dentist may see 

 fit to use, the manipulations required in its handling will be in all 

 cases the same. In referring to this, the first question which 

 ofi'ers is, whether the use of the speculum is necessary to enable 

 the surgeon to file a horse's teeth"? There is no doubt that in 

 many instances it will be difficult, and even perhaps impossible, 

 to compel the patient to keep his mouth sufficiently open to per- 

 mit the use of the rasp with the necessary delicacy and freedom, or 

 prevent him from constantly biting it, or keeping his jaws closed 

 during the operation. In every instance, the play of the instru- 

 ment vsdU be sure to be interfered with by the excited patient. 



We believe that American practitioners were the first to dis- 

 pense with the speculum in these cases ; and that to Mr. House, 

 a celebrated veterinary dentist, who died not many years ago, is 

 due, in fact, the paternity of this specialty in veterinary surgery. 



Whether the mouth of the animal is held open with a specu- 



