222 Spasm of llie Esophagus. 



2. Spasm of the Esophagus. Oesophagismus. 



{Krampf des Schlundes [German].) 



'Spasm of the esophagus consists in a morhid contraction 

 of its musck^s, which occurs in paroxysms, without organic dis- 

 ease or obstruction. These latter conditions also lead to spasm 

 of the muscularis of the esophagus. Esophagism, as a disease 

 ]:>er se, is rare among domestic animals. 



Etiology. Primary disease of this kind is verj^ rare, and 

 it then occurs upon a neuropathologic basis. It has been ob- 

 served without any special cause only a few times in nervous 

 horses of quick temper. Such animals may have an attack 

 upon drinking cold water or upon pressure upon the esophagus. 

 Nothing definite is known whether in these cases disease of the 

 pneumogastric nerve or transitory malposition of the esophagus 

 may play a role. 



Horses sometimes exhibit esophagism after the injection of 

 morphine or after chloral hydrate or chloroform narcosis 

 (Frohner, Vennehrolm). In a case of this kind Plosz could 

 demonstrate the obliteration of the esophagus by a morsel of 

 food. A similar morbid condition occurs very rarely in adult 

 cattle (Ries) and somewhat more frequently in calves (Trous- 

 sier). Esophagism occurs secondarily in the course of epi- 

 lepsy, tetanus and rabies. 



Symptoms. When the spasm begins, the animal suddenly 

 becomes very restless and betrays great anxiety ; if it happens 

 to be feeding when the spasm comes on, the ingestion of food 

 ceases, yet empty mastication continues, and a foamy saliva col- 

 lects in the mouth. The animal stretches its feet out and tries 

 to swallow^ the saliva while the head is strongly stretched or 

 bent. At the same time, the undulatory motions of the esoph- 

 agus become visilde in the left jugular region. However, swal- 

 lowing of the saliva can take place only incompletely, and it is 

 expelled through the mouth and nose by antiperistaltic move- 

 ments. If the spasm occurs during the ingestion of food, the 

 saliva is at first mixed with food particles, later on it becomes 

 pure and does not give an acid reaction like expelled gastric 

 contents. Along the left jugular depression the cordlike gullet 

 can be felt distinctly, pressure upon it excites pain. Sometimes 

 a moderate enlargement, filled with air, saliva and mucus, is 

 formed above the spasmodically closed section (Friedberger). 



The attack may last from a few minutes to several hours ; 

 it may or may not recur. In a case reported by Cadeac, the 

 sick horse had several such attacks every week for a year and 

 a half, and these could be produced at will by feeding short cut 

 dry feed or by the administration of cold water. Roy, on the 



