364 OPERATIONS ON THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



the fingers by tearing the connective tissue in the middle part 

 of the gland ; when taking hold of it at that place it can be care- 

 fully pulled out, the division of the cellular tissue which holds it 

 being easily detached with the fingers or a blunt instrument. The 

 position of the woimd is such that no special dressing is indicated, 

 suppuration having a free exit. 



OPERATIONS ON THE (ESOPHAGUS. 



The surgical affections which require interference with the 

 oesophagus and adjacent regions are classified as follows: Bruises, 

 wounds, lacerations, ruptures, tumors, jabot, obstruction by for- 

 eign bodies or alimentary masses, and strictures. The various 

 operations of direct aj^plication which are indicated in connection 

 with these casualties are: Catheterism of the oesophagus, the 

 taxis, the crushing of the foreign bodies, and oesophagotomy. This 

 classification, arranged by Peuch and Toussaint, meets with our 

 acceptance, including the operations enumerated, and in our con- 

 sideration of the subject we shall, for the present, refer our 

 readers for descriptions of the various forms of disease to the 

 standard authorities upon veterinary medicine, especially includ- 

 ing in the hst the excellent work of Professor Williams. 



Before entering upon a description of these operations, a re- 

 view of the surgical anatomy of that organ will be in place. 



The oesophagus is a long musciilo-mucous canal, which at the 

 third stej) of deglutition carries the food, both liquid and sohd, 

 from the pharynx to the stomach. Stretched between these two or- 

 gans, it successively occupies the neck down its inferior region, the 

 entire length of the thorax, and a small portion of the abdomen. 

 At its origin (Fig. 362), situated on the median line, it communi- 

 cates with the pharynx by an opening above the glottis; from 

 thence it runs obliquely downward, from before backward, be- 

 hind the ti-achea, until about the middle of the neck, where it 

 begins to deviate to the left, resting from thence on that side of 

 the trachea. In this situation it enters the thorax, to resume its 

 former position on the trachea; passes above its bifurcation and 

 the base of the heart, running through the layers of the posterior 

 mediastinum, which covers it, reaches the right pillar of the dia- 

 i:»hragm, and passes through it, and entering the abdomen, has its 

 termination on the left side of the small curvature of the stomach. 



