226             A TREATISE ON ELEPHANTS.

                   MUMPS OR SORE-THROAT.

Causes.—Sudden chills and exposure to cold winds when heated.

Symptoms.—Fever with its attendant signs : swelling about the
throat and adjacent glands (parotids), difficulty in breathing and
swallowing. In extreme cases the throat may be so involved that
the animal may suffocate. Gilchrist states that in some cases food
becomes impacted in the gullet causing mortification of this organ.

Treatment: General.—Only allow gruels, linseed tea, boiled
rice while there is any difficulty in swallowing ; protect the animal
from the weather ; if he will take it, allow nitrate of potash in
1-oz. doses in the drinking water. The following will be found
useful :—

To be mixed and well rubbed down with 8 ozs. each of honey and
jaggery. It should be made into a thin paste. A little of this should
be taken and rubbed in the mouth every hour or so.

Local.—Enemas to relieve the bowels, frequent hot fomentations
to the throat, and mustard or mustard and turpentine or other
embrocation (Formulae 70 to 73) rubbed in. Steel recommends
steaming through the mouth with infusions of nim leaves (coodqoS,
ta-ma-ywet—Melia azedarach).

                              BRONCHITIS.

Definition.—Inflammation of the mucous membrane lining the
air-tubes in the lung.

Causes.—As in pneumonia.

Symptoms.—If acute, fever with its attendant signs : cough,
wheezing and laboured breathing.

When chronic, symptoms are very similar ; only fever is usually
absent.

Treatment.—In acute cases as laid down for fever employing
enemas in lieu of purgatives, supplemented by the following :—

       Twice or thrice daily.