CHOKE IN THE HORSE 41 



grains of pilocarpine hydrochloride, hypodermatically. 

 As soon as salivation starts from this injection, usually 

 in five to ten minutes, the veterinarian and all others 

 can serve the patient best by going away and leaving 

 him alone. In a good deal more than half of all cases 

 of choke, all evidence of its existence has passed off at 

 the end of three hours following this line of treat- 

 ment. 



When the surgeon again visits the patient (three 

 or four hours after giving the pilocarpine is a good 

 time to call again in these cases) he should attempt 

 to make the animal go through several acts of degluti- 

 tion. If the horse on these attempts swallows with- 

 out arousing the characteristic gurgling and spasm 

 of the muscles in the cervical region he may con- 

 sider the case cured. However, nothing but water and 

 a very thin bran-slop should be allowed for at least 

 twelve hours more. 



In the event that the choke is not relieved by the 

 treatment thus given, it is not yet time to get excited 

 by any means, especially if the choke is in the cer- 

 vical region where it may be relieved by an operation 

 if everything else fails. Here I desire to say that I 

 have yet to see a case of equine choke due to spasm 

 of the esophagus, which resisted patient and simple 

 means of treatment, such as given above. Occa- 

 sionally one of these cases will "hang on" for twenty- 

 four or forty-eight hours, when suddenly the animal 

 swallows normally and is well. 



In the event that recovery has not taken place 

 after three or four hours from this treatment, I have 



