Symptoms. Course. Treatment. 221 



Chronic catarrh leads to a marked thickening of the 

 epithelial layers, occasionally also to papilliferous prolifera- 

 tions. 



Symptoms. A very superficial catarrh of the esophagus 

 usually escapes notice. In somewhat more intense cases the 

 food is swallowed with a great deal of effort. The animals 

 move the head restlessly from side to side in swallowing, stretch- 

 ing and bending the neck, horses paw with their front feet and 

 their faces express anxiety. Sometimes one may observe how 

 a morsel becomes wedged in the esophagus, occasionally directly 

 below the pharynx. Such morsels then become dislodged toward 

 the pharynx l)y antiperistalsis and are expelled through the 

 mouth or nose. Deeply penetrating inflammations lead to a 

 mucous secretion or to a bloody discharge from the mouth 

 or nose independently of the ingestion of food. In such cases 

 food is refused. Tubular croupous masses are sometimes ex- 

 pelled in croupous inflammation. Increased tenderness of the 

 esophagus is shown by the animals when pressure is made 

 over the left jugular depression. One may sometimes see here 

 spontaneous undulating motions followed by the expulsion of 

 mucus or food from the mouth. In more intense inflammation 

 of the esophagus, particularly in carnivora, vomiting occurs. 

 Difficulty in deglutition greatly interferes with the nutrition 

 of the animals and the inflammatory process may cause an 

 elevation of temperature. 



Course. Simple catarrh ends in recovery after one to two 

 weeks, while deeply penetrating inflammations lead to cicatricial 

 contractions of the esophagus or to a purulent infiltration in 

 the surrounding connective tissue. The infiltration spreads 

 along the large vessels towards the thoracic cavity and leads 

 to the formation of abscesses. Exceptionally a perforation of 

 the esophagus occurs. All these complications are indicated 

 by an inflammatory swelling in the region of the left jugular 

 vein. If perforation occurs in the thoracic portion of the 

 esophagus pleurisy follows. 



Treatment. One should attempt to ameliorate the inflam- 

 matory process by the administration of small pieces of ice, 

 by cold water, cold milk, mucilaginous or astringent fluids 

 (1/^ to 1% tannic acid in linseed infusion). Cold applications 

 on the region of the esophagus should also be made. If the 

 inflammation is due to corrosive poisons, antidotes like weak 

 acids or alkalies in mucilaginous milk should be administered. 

 When the pain is intense narcotics are indicated (morphine 

 subcutaneously, chloral hydrate, tincture of opium in the drink- 

 ing water). If the animals still persist in refusing to take 

 food, artificial feeding per rectum becomes necessary. 



Literature. Eichenberger, D. Z. f. Tm., 1885, XT, 111.— Guilniot, Ann., 1854, 

 341._Dohne, S. B., 1879, 4(5.— Koch, B. t. W., 1889, 229.— Lebel, Eec, 1864, 355.— 

 Lemaire, Ann., 1860, 544.— Renault, Eec, 1834, 561. 



