ON THE DISORDER* 01 THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 105 



cated by its. hanging constantly out of the mouth at 

 one side in a dry, discoloured state, is seen. It no longer 

 projects in a moist, healthy state, vibrating freely at its 

 tip and edges, and ever and anon passing over the nose to 

 renew its moisture. The animal suffers much from, thirst 

 (although lapping is not much interfered with) and expe- 

 riences considerable discomfort. Breed seems to predispose 

 to this disorder, animals of the bull-dog breed and spaniels 

 having been found most liable to it. The paralysis is 

 almost always unilateral and may generally be traced to 

 injury or nervous disorder. It is to be treated by strict 

 attention to hygiene and free administration of tonics;, 

 especially those, such as strychnia, which act particularly 

 on the nervous system. This condition is sometimes con- 

 genital ; it is generally incurable. It should be carefully 

 guarded against in purchase of a valuable dog, for low- 

 class fanciers in such cases remove the unsightliness by 

 clipping off the protruding portion. 



Wounds of the tongue must be treated on strictly con- 

 servative principles. It is said that the Greenlanders get 

 rid of wolves by smearing sharp blades with blood which 

 is frozen at once. The wolves in the act of licking it off 

 lose the sensation in their tongues, which become seriously 

 cut and useless ; the wolf wastes away, and is ultimately 

 eaten by its fellows. Punctured wounds through the 

 tongue are sometimes caused by the tushes, and this 

 organ may be seriously mangled in the course of an 

 epileptic attack ; but fortunately its wounds heal very 

 readily. 



tJnder the name of Blain, Touatt describes a vesicular 

 affection of the lateral and under part of the tongue, which 

 he tells us is seen also in the horse and ox,, assuming a 

 very great severity in the latter animal. In the dog it is 

 often unaccompanied by other disease, there being simply a 

 very profuse salivary flow, which ultimately becomes bloody 

 and fetid, the tongue being raised from its base by inter- 

 maxillary swelling. He surmises that it originates as 

 obstruction of the ducts of the sublingual salivary (!) glands 

 (he evidently was not aware that there are none "in the dog), 



