286 REPORT ON THE DISEASES OF FARM HORSES. 



from various kinds of food supplied ; turnips, carrots, and other 

 roots are apt to be devoured greedily, and pieces become lodged 

 in the (Esophagus or gullet. Dry bran, bean meal, wheat chaff, 

 &c, form a prolific source of inconvenience to the farm horse at 

 times. Erom a succession of these events injury to the sur- 

 rounding parts ensues, and the symptoms recur at short intervals. 

 Injuries occur from pieces of root which are too large to be easily 

 swallowed, and probably having large protruding angles ; they 

 may lodge in their passage down the gullet. If muscular con- 

 tractions occur, which are most likely, removal is difficult, and 

 often attended with danger, particularly in the hands of inex- 

 perienced individuals. Acute choking sometimes occurs frum 

 the dry state of food supplied to a hungry animal after hours of 

 fast, and some will habitually choke from ordinary hay and corn 

 after a hard day's work, which points to a weakened state of the 

 vital powers. No disease or malformation of the gullet may 

 exist, and still this may happen. In fact, in cases of illness, a 

 bolus of food or medicine may often be observed to remain 

 midway for some time until water be swallowed ; and in several 

 cases of death which have occurred from other diseases, this state 

 has been exemplified by the presence of the ball or pellet being 

 found in that portion of gullet within the chest. On some parts 

 of the continent horses are supplied with a continual stream of 

 water in one half of the manger, at which the animals alternately 

 drink and feed — an excellent practice, which some of our ex- 

 tensive proprietors would do well to follow. 



Symptoms of Choking in the horse are very characteristic, 

 even in mild cases, consisting of cough, and attempts to gulp, 

 sudden contractions of the muscles of the neck, chest, and 

 abdomen, during which the nose is brought backwards to the 

 chest, and profuse salivation is generated, which consists of a 

 ropy discharge ; the pulse is not frequently influenced in the 

 first instance, but as symptoms increase, it becomes quick and 

 irritable. The eyes are protruded, staring, and even bloodshot ; 

 the cough becomes more severe and constant ; the animal stamps 

 and scrapes with the fore feet ; distention takes place from fer- 

 mentation and elimination of gases within the stomach ; and the 

 discharge of saliva increases. Fluids administered are forcibly 

 returned, gulping is more frequent aud determined, breathing 

 becomes laboured and stertorous, from pressure on the windpipe 

 in sudden or severe cases. And if the malady is attended with 

 rupture of the (Esophagus, great irritation and fever ensues from 

 food extravasated among the contiguous muscles, and the crea- 

 ture dies in the greatest agony. 



Treatment. — When the seat of obstructions of the gullet are 

 visible, after determining the nature of the offending body, gentle 



