DENTITION DISEASES. 
413 
p. 308). I think possibly that internal treatment of iodide 
potassa might have accomplished a better end; but this is only 
speculative, as I was informed part of the treatment given her 
when not under my care was iodine. 
Caries .—I think caries seldom occurs except as a result of 
pulpitis or pericementitis producing change and inflammation in 
dentine. True, it may occur in old animals from other sources, 
out even then, I think, rare. When from this source the tubes 
fll up with a deposit of eaithy salts, but not normal dentine, 
not allowing any circulation to dentine again; pulpitis may sup¬ 
purate producing complete loss of same. When such is the case 
an alveolar abscess is generally the result. 
As a rule if pus forms, the pathological changes have been 
so severe that if allowed to go on for any length of time the 
oral fluids of the mouth are highly destructive to the dentine, 
and here permit me to say I believe the vegetable diet of the 
horse to be the most destructive to dentine of any foods, and 
when allowed to decompose with the oral fluids accomplishes then 
a 1 apid destruction of dentine and also enamel. How often do 
\ ou see diseased teeth in the carnivora ? And diseased teeth 
among the American Indians, it is said, was scarcely known. 
When caries arises as a sequel of traumatism, I find the teeth 
split up in fragments, same as when blood supply is cut off, as 
from death of pulp, showing it is only another means of destruc¬ 
tion of same as in the subject here. Caries is confined almost 
exclusively to the molars, but may sometimes occur in incisors as 
subject here. 
Treatment of Caries .—With all deference to our scientific 
veterinary dentists, who treat the teeth of our patients by filling 
and such like, I would in no w r ay speak disparagingly, but must 
assert that I have small practical faith and as most of us here are 
country practitioners, dealing with a class who are interested in 
the advance of our profession, so long as our work is a success; 
but if we do our work, charge a fee, no matter what the display 
of skill, etc., if the operation is not a success, ten to one he will 
go elsewhere and probably to the grossest bungler, who will re- 
