FOREIGN BODIES IN THE OESOPHAGUS OP CATTLE. 



419 



drawn well towards one side. Two assistants, each grasping a horn 

 and one end of the mouth gag, hold the head extended on the 

 neck. The oesophageal sound is passed over the base of 

 the tongue into the pharynx, and thence into the oeso- 

 phagus. To avoid injury it must be introduced with 

 caution. The only danger is that the instrument may pass 

 into the larynx and trachea, but this accident is immediately 

 evidenced by coughing and difficulty in breathing. 

 Should it occur, the probang must be drawn back and 

 the attempt repeated, until the instrument passes freely 

 forward and can be felt at the left side of the neck in 

 the oesophageal furrow — a proof that it has entered the 

 oesophagus, down which it is slowly pushed until it reaches 

 the foreign body, where further progress is resisted. 

 Cautious attempts are made to push the obstacle onwards. 

 These failing, the instrument is withdrawn, and an ounce 

 or two of oil or a dose of pilocarpine may be administered ; 

 if relief does not follow within a short interval the probang 

 may be tried again. 



(4) Extraction of foreign bodies by means of instruments. 

 Amongst these is Meier's wire snare. It consists of a piece 

 of brass or copper wire, about |th of an inch in thickness, 

 doubled and fastened by the ends to a handle, and works 

 somewhat like the string snare, used for removing corks 

 from the interior of bottles. It is introduced like the 

 probang, the loop thrust behind the foreign body, which 

 may sometimes be extracted 

 by turning and pulling on the 

 instrument. But this device 

 succeeds only where the ob- 

 struction lies in the upper 

 portion of the tube, and is 

 of such a character that it 

 can thus be snared and held. 

 The methods already de- 

 scribed, are, however, usually more successful, and the 

 snare is therefore little used. 



The so-called oesophageal screw, for transfixing pieces 

 of potato or turnip, is not of much service. The oesophageal 

 forceps constructed by Delvos and Hertwig are more 

 useful (Fig. 345). They are introduced closed, but when 

 the foreign body is felt, the jaws are opened by a screw, 



Fig. 343. 

 (Esophageal 



