t a molar tooth has been accidentally fractured. It may also occur that
a supernumerary tooth has developed in an unusual position, and that it
interferes with the natural and regular mastication of the feed.

_Treatment._--The mouth may be examined by grasping the animal's tongue
with one hand and partially withdrawing it from the mouth, so as to expose
the incisor and molar teeth to inspection. When it is desired, however, to
examine the molar teeth with the fingers, so as to obtain a better idea of
their condition, an instrument like the balling iron which is used for the
horse should be introduced into the mouth, so as to separate the jaws and
keep them apart while the examination is being made. Any sharp edges of the
molars must be removed by the tooth rasp, such as is used for horses. Any
supernumerary tooth which interferes with mastication or any tooth which is
fractured or loose should be extracted. In performing such operations it is
desirable to throw, or cast, the animal, and to have its head held
securely, so as to enable the operator to do what is necessary without
difficulty.

CARIES OR DECAY OF THE TEETH.

The presence of caries may be suspected if the mouth exhales a bad odor and
if the animal during mastication occasionally stops as if it were in pain.
The existence of caries in a molar tooth may be ascertained by examining
the mouth in the manner already described. If one of the molars is found to
be carious, it should be extracted. When the crown of the tooth has been
destroyed and only the stump or root is left, extraction is impracticable.
In case the animal has special value the root stumps may be removed by a
veterinarian by the operation of trephining; otherwise, it is best to sell
the animal to the butcher.

ACTINOMYCOSIS OF THE JAWBONES (BIG JAW OR LUMPY JAW).

[See Actinomycosis, p. 440.]

INFLAMMATION OF MUCOUS MEMBRANE OF MOUTH (STOMATITIS).

The membrane of the mouth may become inflamed by eating some irritating
substance or plant, or little vesicles may form in the mouths of calves
when they are affected with indigestion, constituting what is termed
aphtha.

_Symptoms._--The saliva dribbles from the mouth, and when the mouth is
examined the surface of the tongue and other parts appear red and inflamed.
When young animals are affected with the form of disease termed aphtha,
small red elevations are observed on the tongue and other parts of the
mouth, having little white point