OPERATION FOR SUFFOCATION. 1^1 



Mnsv lered as the effect of constitutional depravation, and would as properly 

 come under the general description of critical abscess, treated of at a former 

 page, 113. 



S;/viptoins. — A swelling commences between the upper part of the two 

 ja\v-l)ones, or a li-ttle lower down towards the chin, and directly underneath 

 the tongue. A cough, and the discharge of a white thick matter from the 

 nostrils, follow; with great heat, pain, and tension of the tumours, and cf all 

 the adjacent membranes, to such a degree that the animal can scarcely swal- 

 low. The eyes send forth a watery humour, and the animal nearly closes the 

 h J ; this is mostly the case when it happens that the two larger glands under 

 the ear are affected also, which frequently happens ; but when these latter are 

 disordered without the animal having the strangles, we then say he has the 

 vivos. The swelling increases and usually bursts of itself, sometimes with- 

 out any medical aid whatever, and even without being perceived by any one. 

 This last happens to colts and fillies at grass, when their wants are little at- 

 tended to, and they seldom fail of doing well. Consequently, it follows, that 

 those attacks which take place in the open air are of a milder nature than 

 those more obstinate cases we so frequently meet with among in-door cattle, 

 which serves to prove, once more, my doctrine as to the cause of all tumours 

 or " tuberculous affections," as M, Dupuy has it. The horses that are kept 

 in doors accumulate gross humours, by this mode of living on dry food and 

 lying on soft beds, the exercise they take not being sufficient to carry of! the 

 effects of either. Enervation generally accompanies this mode of treatment ; 

 the glands and membrane suffer relaxation, the pampered animal is not ex- 

 posed to the air sufficiently to occasion that check, or slight cold, which is ge- 

 nerally the immediate cause of strangles, and the accumulation of these hu- 

 mours proceeds, until they overcome the capacity of these organs, and the 

 strangles then become a formidable disease. 



When this is the case, the feverish symptoms run high, loss of appetite fol- 

 lows with constipation of the bowels, the horse can neither drink nor eat, and 

 the pulse increases. The tumours in these bad cases will be found to have 

 risen nearer the jaw-bone than they do in a mild attack, and are longer in 

 coming to maturity than those which begin more towards the middle. The 

 disorder is seldom fatal ; but when this does happen, the animal dies of suffo- 

 cation, in which case it stands with the nose thrust out, the nostrils distended . 

 the breathing is then exceedingly laborious and difficult, and accompanied by 

 rattling in the throat. 



Cure. — For this last mentioned extreme case, no other remedy is found than 

 making an opening in the windpipe, through which the animal may breathe. 

 For this spirited oi)eration, I must refer to Mr. Field, the veterinary surgeon, 

 who has performed it frequently, and says his practice was to cut an aperture 

 the size of a guinea, which nature afterwards supplies in due time. With thia 

 exception, perhaps, I might be justified in saying that we have little or no bu- 

 siness to meddle with the strangles ; unless, indeed, unfavourable symptoms 

 arise, and the previous habits of the horse, his present fleshy or gross habit of 

 body, with the unfavourable situation of the tumours near the bone, give good 

 reason for believing that the disease will turn out a tedious or dangerous case. 

 And ye* I should be very loth to recommend purging or bleeding for stran- 

 gles, as I have seen done with no good effect ; for, although the symptoms are 

 thereby lowered, yet the continuance of the disorder is protracted to an un- 

 measurable length, and 1 have heard of the strangles devolving into glanders 

 by this course of proceeding — the subject of this case being a five year oU 

 .nare. 



On the contrary, the disorder being constitutional, that is to say, an clfbrt 

 of nature to relieve itself of some noxious matters, the strength of the animal 



