346 CLINICAL VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY. 



and the probang passed without success. As the obstruction might 

 probably become softened in a short time further surgical intervention 

 was deferred. 



The animal was allowed to rise, and placed in a box from which the 

 litter had been removed, in order to prevent it attempting to eat, 

 thus introducing material into the trachea. A hypodermic injection of 

 pilocarpine and eserine was given. 



For half to three quarters of an hour salivation was ver}- abundant, 

 and swallowing efforts very frequent ; then the symptoms suddenly dis- 

 appeared ; the foreign body had passed onwards into the stomach. 

 The point at which it had been arrested remained sensitive for some 

 days, but there was no subsequent difficulty in swallowing. 



51. Two-year-old sheep-dog, left in hospital on the 2nd January, 



This animal was in the habit of fetching and carrying, and was fond 

 of playing with objects given it for this purpose. During the last few 

 days of December it had appeared ver}- dull, had refused to eat, and 

 shown swelling of the throat. 



Condition on Entry. — The dog was dull, held the head depressed, 

 and refused food. The guttural region showed a hard, cool, insensitive 

 swelling, the size of a small egg, without local fluctuation. This was 

 first regarded as a cold abscess in course of formation. 



On the two following days there was no local change. The animal 

 refused all food, and had to be spoon-fed with milk. 



On the 5th January the hair covering the centre of the swelling was 

 glued together by pus, and the skin seen to he penetrated by a small 

 opening. To evacuate the contents of the abscess slight pressure was 

 exercised over the swelling on either side of the wound, when the end 

 of a fragment of knitting-needle, two and a half inches in length and 

 covered with sanguinolent pus, was seen to be projecting. 



The fistula having been laid open a director was passed nearly two 

 inches in a direction almost perpendicular to the surface of the region. 

 The wound in the oesophagus healed. When the animal drank, no 

 liquid escaped by the fistula. 



As often happens when sharp objects are swallowed by dogs, this 

 needle had become implanted in the walls of the pharynx or com- 

 mencement of the oesophagus, had passed through them under the 

 influence of the swallowing movements to which it gave rise, and 

 become implanted in the tissues of the neck, where it had produced the 

 above-mentioned swelling ; and had finally attained the skin, causing 

 ulceration. 



The next day, in spite of the needle having been removed, the 

 animal appeared dull, moved slowly, and refused food. Milk diet was 

 therefore continued. 



On the 7th the condition was the same, and the bowels were con- 

 stipated. No faeces were passed. An ounce of castor oil was given, 

 and warm water enemas administered. During the day some dry, 

 earth)- faeces, streaked with blood, were voided. 



On the 8th the warm water enemas were continued. Suddenly the 



