SALIVARY FISTULAS. 
85 
free by means of a simple plug of tow, and so produced healing. Should 
this procedure not be attended with success, destruction of the function 
of the gland alone remains. For this purpose one of the following 
methods may be adopted :— 
(1) Tying the salivary duct above the fistula. The duct is isolated 
between the fistula and the gland, and tied with a stout thread. A 
strong ligature is essential. The animal should fast for the next twenty- 
four to forty-eight hours, and then receive only fluid nourishment. Soon 
afterwards swelling of the gland appears (tumour salivalis), and is 
followed by gradual atrophy. Not infrequently, however, the ligature 
cuts, to prevent which a stout ligature should be chosen. Bassi obseived 
great dilatation of Stenson’s duct after ligation; he applied a second 
ligature above the swelling, but a fistula of the salivary duct resulted. 
He then injected 6 drachms of ethyl alcohol into the gland on two 
occasions, at intervals of two days. The gland was destroyed and the 
fistula healed. 
(2) Transverse section of the duct, after being tried by Beynal and 
F. Gunther, was again recommended by Gerlach, while Siedamgrotzky 
and Harms have also tested it, though Harms lias lately questioned its 
usefulness. They found that the end of the duct became closed through 
inflammatory processes, and that the duct itself afterwards atrophied. 
Even this method, however, sometimes fails. 
Harms very appropriately points out that experiments, although successful 
on healthy horses, do not demonstrate the efficacy of similar treatment in 
diseased ones. Beynal found that it was not always possible to produce 
adhesion of the duct by section. The fact must not be lost sight of that m 
fistula of the salivary duct the opening of the duct into the mouth is generally 
occluded. Permanent closure of the duct gradually leads to atrophy oi the 
parotid. Moller saw a horse whose right Stenson’s duct was dilated to the 
thickness of a man’s thumb, and. was without opening into the mouth. 
The gland had entirely disappeared, and the parotid region presented a 
marked depression. 
(8) Injection of irritant fluids into the gland. Haubner recommends 
liquor amrn. caust. 10 to 15 per cent: Tincture of iodine, creosote, 
nitrate of silver, &c., have since been used. Bassi injected 30 per cent, 
of alcohol; Labat the following mixture,—20 to 40 per cent, of tincture 
of iodine, 1 per cent, iodide of potassium, and 60 per cent, of water ; 
Delamotte, 50 per cent, tincture of iodine ; Bergeron, a 20 per cent, 
solution of lactic acid. Concentrated tincture of iodine usually produces 
severe inflammation of the gland, sometimes ending in necrosis, and 
therefore diluted solution of iodine in iodide of potassium is to be pre¬ 
ferred. The injection can be repeated if necessary. Abscesses often 
result, but in no way interfere with success. 
