STOMATITIS FROM CAUSTICS.
Caustic Alkalies; symptoms, lesions and antidotes. Caustic Acids; symptoms, lesions and antidotes. Caustic salts; symptoms, lesions and antidotes.
Caustic Alkalies (soda, potash, ammonia and their carbonates) often cause stomatitis. What is supposed to be weak lye, given to counteract indigestions, colics, and tympanies often proves dangerously irritating, and some of the worst forms of stomatitis we have ever seen in the horse originated in this way. As the animal refused to swallow, the caustic liquid lay in the mouth and virtually dissolved the epithelium and surface layers of the fibrous mucosa. The surface in such a case is usually of a deep red, and where the cuticular covering remains, it is white and corrugated. The antidote is a weak, non-irritant acid, such as vinegar, boric, citric, or salicylic acid. When the caustic alkali has been thoroughly neutralized in this way the ordinary treatment for catarrhal stomatitis may be followed. The attendant gastritis must receive its special treatment.
Caustic Acids. Sulphuric, nitric and hydrochloric acids act by abstracting liquids and charring the tissues. The lesions from strong sulphuric acid turn black, those due to nitric acid, yellow, (zanthoproteic acid,) and those due to muriatic acid are white, with the characteristic odor of chlorine. The antidote in such cases is a non-irritant basic agent, such as chalk, lime water, soapsuds, calcined magnesia, and mucilaginous liquids, albumen, gluten, flax seed, with opium. The same agents are applicable to the attendant gastritis and when the acids are thoroughly neutralized the treatment is as for simple inflammation.
Caustic Salts. Among caustic salts may be named mercuric chloride, sulphates of copper and iron, chlorides of iron and zinc, tartar emetic. These may be treated by albumen, blood, white of egg, milk, gluten, mucilage and other sheathing, protecting agents which will form with the salts insoluble and harmless coagula. The subsequent treatment will follow the lines marked out for simple stomatitis. To prevent infection of the raw surface Cadeac recommends: tannic acid 1 oz., benzo-naphthol 3 drachms, powdered gentian 6 drachms, honey, sufficient to make an electuary.