STRANGLES. 157 



the cellular tissue between the branches of the lower jaw, 

 involving the subcutaneous parts in a uniform tumefaction. 

 While this is going on, various parts in the vicinity often 

 take on a sympathetic action : in particular, the parotid and 

 sublingual glands,i the throat, the pharynx and larynx, the 

 nasal membrane, the sinuses, the mouth, the tongue, the 

 cheeks, and the lips : in some violent cases, the whole head 

 appears to be involved in one mass of tumefaction ; while every 

 outlet is clogged with discharge. Experiencing this violence 

 of the disease, the animal is in a pitiable plight. While a 

 discharge is issuing in profusion from his nostrils, and from 

 between his -lips, his throat is so filled with collections of 

 matter, that it is quite distressing to witness his painful 

 efforts to breathe. In such cases as these there is imminent 

 danger of suffocation ; and though we afford relief, so far as 

 the breath is concerned, by tracheotomy, yet, from the irrita- 

 tion he suffers, added to the difficulty of getting aliment into 

 his stomach, he still is in peril of losing his life from exhaustion. 



In such cases as these, there is but one hope left 

 us, and that is the reliance we have on the disorder, from 

 its nature, declining after it has reached a certain stage or 

 height; when established in this severity, it will progress, 

 do what we may : all we can do is to assuage, to alleviate 

 irritation, and anxiously watch for the turn of the fever. 

 When . once this has taken place, the local affection will 

 gradually abate; the tumefaction will diminish; the dis- 

 charges alter their character, and become a white, thick, 

 clotted mucus, much diminished in gross quantity; the 

 respiration will be interfered with less and less while this 

 improvement in the defiuxions takes place. 



When there exists a good deal of swelling about the jaw 

 in the situation of the parotid gland, and no tumour 

 takes place externally, it very commonly happens that an 

 abscess forms and breaks internally, discharging its con- 

 tents through the jaostrils. Fortunately, however, it is 

 seldom that the disease assumes this malignant form. In a 



1 For a description of these glands, see my ' Anatomy of the Horse/ sect, v, 

 p .239. 



