336 CLINICAL VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



COLD ABSCESS IK THE RETRO-PHARYNGEAL GLANDS. 



41. A five-year-old mare, left in hospital the nth June, 1897. 



History. — About three months before the stableman had noticed in 

 the submaxillary and laryngeal regions a swelling, which extended on 

 either side over the parotid. Though at first little marked, this swelling 

 gradually increased. A little whitish, mucous, inodorous discharge, 

 which appeared oftenest during work and when the animal began to 

 swallow liquids, ran from the nostrils. Deglutition was difficult, and 

 the mare ate and drank slowly. 



No useful information could be obtained as to the animal's ante- 

 cedents. We simply learned that it was of American origin, and had 

 been bought four months before. 



State on Examination. — In spite of the difficulty in eating, the mare 

 was in good condition. The swelling of the throat and parotid regions 

 was considerable, was hard, resistent, without fluctuation, and almost 

 painless on pressure. The head was held extended. 



The submaxillary gland was slightly swollen, the swelling being ill- 

 defined and rather cedematous towards its periphery. From time to 

 time, and especially when the animal drank, a whitish, inodorous dis- 

 charge ran from both nostrils, though rather more abundantly from the 

 left, although the swelling appeared equal on either side of the throat. 



Treatment. — After a week of observation the upper part of the right 

 guttural pouch was opened and a counter opening made in the usual 

 way. No pus escaped, but a drainage-tube was nevertheless intro- 

 duced. A similar operation was performed on the other side with like 

 result. 



The animal was left at liberty in a box. During the afternoon it 

 appeared dull and hardly touched food. The guttural pouches were 

 washed out with a warm solution of iodine and iodide of potassium. 



On the following days the parotid regions increased in size and 

 became very tender. Mastication and deglutition appeared painful, 

 and there was difficulty in flexing the neck. The temperature only rose 

 a few tenths of a degree. Each morning the drainage-tubes were 

 replaced. The patient was fed on gruel and milk. 



On the 22nd creamy pus escaped by the drainage-tubes ; the 

 swelling decreased, especially on the left side ; difficulty in swallowing 

 was less marked ; discharge ceased ; and the extension of the head and 

 stiffness about the neck diminished. 



During the following week the swelling due to operation lessened in 

 the upper half of the parotid region, but persisted in the lower. Imnie- 

 diately above the origin of the trachea a sweUing formed, and steadily 

 became more clearly circumscribed, giving the impression of a deep- 

 seated cold abscess or of a tumour. During the first week of July 

 these local symptoms remained unchanged. Further operation was 

 decided on. 



On the gth the mare was cast on Daviau's table. The head was 

 firmly fixed in a position of extension, and the skin covering Viborg's 

 triangle washed, shaved, and disinfected. A cutaneous incision about 

 6 inches in length was then made immediately above and parallel to 



