AXATOMICAL CHARACTERS. 605 



injury from witlioiit ; ((/) More rarely it may follow from the 

 extension of inflammatory action from contiguous parts, or as 

 a part of a general and common catarrhal inflammation of 

 other mucous membranes. 



Anatomical Characters. — The entire structures of the oeso- 

 phagus give the usual indications of inflammatory action, some- 

 what varied in accordance with the exciting cause. When 

 occurring from the contact of hot water, or irritating fluids, 

 there is generally considerable destruction of tissue, and in all 

 much infiltration of the submucous structure, with the presence 

 of various fluid secretions. 



Symptoms. — When the morbid action or injury is trifling, the 

 only attractive symptom may be the difficulty in swallowing, 

 variously expressed — sometimes by spasm Avith ejection of 

 material swallowed, and stamping of the feet ; while manipula- 

 tion over the region affected is accompanied by increase of 

 these. When severe, there is in addition febrile disturbance ; 

 and if the coats are perforated, infiltration of the surrounding 

 tissues will shortly show itself, with additional phenomena. 



Treatment. — Milder cases may be left to recover, with no 

 interference save the exhibition of food of such a character as 

 will not injure the irritated parts. In the more severe cases 

 this will require specially to be attended to ; while with a free 

 use of mucilaginous fluids, as linseed-gruel and milk, to which 

 may be added some simple saline, it is better not to attempt 

 the administration of many medicaments. If pain is a marked 

 feature, morphia, used hypodermically, and local medicated 

 fomentations, are likely to be productive of good. The results 

 of severe inflammatory action of the cesophagus, by whatever 

 means induced, are what we have most to dread ; the chief of 

 these, constriction to a greater or less extent, is nearly certain 

 to follow. 



2. Functional Derangements. — Spasm, or oesophagismus, 

 is the only disturbance of this character I have observed in the 

 horse, and this not often. It is of in-egular and uncertain oc- 

 currence, showing itself on particular occasions without apparent 

 cause, and disappearing in the same erratic manner. Specula- 

 tion may afford material to account for the phenomenon, but 

 it has not given any satisfactory explanation of it. Local irri- 

 tation, as circumscribed erosions, and limited textural changes 



