INFLAMMATION OF THE SALIVARY GLANDS. 
77 
produce their effects either by irritating the gland ducts directly, 01 
through the blood stream. In men, as in animals, endemic paiotitis 
sometimes shows itself. That in man is clearly of an infectious chaiacter, 
and is vulgarly known as mumps. Animals, and especially dogs, suffer 
from a similar disease. Not infrequently parotitis appears sympto¬ 
matically during the course of equine strangles and influenza, and of 
distemper in dogs, and it has been seen repeatedly in cats. 
The inflammatory condition arises in the parenchyma of the gland. 
The organ swells, its divisions appear dark red, and their epithelium 
turbid in small areas. The process soon spreads to the connective tissue, 
which, after a short time, is infiltrated with organisable lymph. I inally 
pus formation takes place both here and in the alveoli. By confluence 
of small abscesses greater ones are formed, extensive areas of the gland 
and its connective tissue become necrotic, and the abscess finally pei- 
forates, not infrequently destroying a large piece of skin. The contents 
of such an abscess contain necrotic shreds, and possess an exceedingly 
offensive smell. Not all abscesses in the parotid region are necessarily 
due to parotitis ; many are only subparotideal, but perforate by way of 
the parotid. The abscesses in this region seen in swine and oxen mostly 
originate in the pharynx. In oxen the foreign body causing the abscess 
may often be detected by exploring the abscess cavity with the finger. 
Symptoms and course. Acute parotitis, the most frequent disease of 
this kind, is accompanied by the early appearance of a diffuse swelling 
in the parotid region. The gland appears hard, hot, and painful; the 
head is extended, and inclined towards the sound side", salivation exists, 
and not infrequently fever. When the swelling is great, dyspnoea and 
difficulty in swallowing may be present. At times facial paialysis is 
produced owing to pressure on the nerve, or to extension to it of inflam¬ 
matory processes. The swelling gradually becomes fluctuating at its 
most prominent point, and if not opened a large quantity of ill-smelling 
greyish-red fluid, mixed with flakes of dead connective tissue, will be 
spontaneously discharged. The swelling seldom becomes absorbed. Once 
necrosis has taken place, abscess formation usually results in eight to ten 
days; but in fourteen days to three weeks complete healing may be 
expected. Recovery is the most common termination; septicaemia and 
pyaemia with fatal results are rare. Owing to high fever and disturbance 
of appetite the animals fall off in condition, and milk secretion abates. 
Salivary fistulae and facial paralysis are seldom observed as sequelae of 
this affection. In a case of Moller’s the optic nerve was involved and 
optic paralysis with amaurosis remained, having evidently resulted 
from retrobulbar neuritis, produced by extension of inflammation into 
the orbit. Extensive burrowing of pus may also be followed by fatal 
consequences. 
