Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

INFLAMMATION OF THE PAROTID GLAND 205
26. The carotid ratery, where it emerges from below the subscapulo-hyoideus
muscle. Its path under that muscle, by the side of
the internal jugular, is also marked by a dotted line, showing the
connection of the two vessels. The figures are placed at the spot
where it would be most convenient to operate, if circumstances should
require that a ligature should be passed round the carotid.
27. The submaxillary artery given off from the main trunk, and
pursuing its course anteriorly, to bury itself beneath the angle of the
lower jaw. It is afterwards seen emerging from under that bone in
company with the sub-maxillary vein, and the parotid duct, and being
the lowest of the three.
28. The temporal artery, at which the pulse may often be conveniently
examined.
29. One of the arteries supplying the parotid gland.
30. The eighth pair of nerves, or the motor organic nerves.
31. One of the linguales, or nerves by means of which the tongue
is moved.
INFLAMMATION OF THE PAROTID GLAND.
The parotid gland, in cattle, is very subject to inflammation. Con-
tusions or wounds of the part are frequent causes of inflammation ;
and this gland, in the ox, sympathizes strongly with catarrhal affec-
tions of the upper air-passages. A bullock will rarely have hoose,
accompanied by any degree of fever, without some enlargement and
tenderness of the parotid. There is scarcely an epidemic among
cattle, one of the earliest symptoms of which is not swelling of the
head and neck. These swellings under the ear are guides on which
we place much, and perhaps the greatest, dependence, in judging of
the intensity and danger of the disease ; and particularly, and most
of all to be dreaded, its tendency to assume a typhoid form. These
enlargements have been confounded with strangles/ but through
want of proper examination of the parts.
Inflammation of the. parotid gland is accompanied by heat and
tenderness of the part, and which render the beast unwilling to eat,
and sometimes by so much swelling as to threaten
or to ruminate ;
immediate suffocation. This is one of the varieties of swelling about
the head of cattle characterized by the expressive term of strangullim.
The swelling of the parotid gland extends oftener and more rapidly
downward than upward, reaching the throat, and pressing upon
all the neighboring vessels. When there is much swelling, suppuration
and abscess are at hand, and should be encouraged by fomentation
; and as soon as any motion of pus can be detected, the tumor
should be freely lanced ; the fluid will readily escape, and the abscess
fill up : but if the swelling be suffered to burst, ulcers will be
formed, exceedingly difficult to heal, and that will too often run on
to gangrene. It is a singular thing that while the flesh of the ox is