246 DISEASES OF THE TEETH, ETC. 



from the pharynx, and gradually increasing to opposite the 

 sixth cervical vertebra, and there terminating abruptly. 

 There had existed a partial obstruction for many months, 

 which had so increased of late, that the animal had been 

 obliged to be drenched with water to wash down the contents 

 of the sac : on other occasions a probang had been used. 

 After such palliations as these, a blister was applied over the 

 tumor, and she was turned to grass. While there, it was 

 observed that food, lodged in the sac of the oesophagus, was 

 frequently returned into the mouth, and afterwards re- swal- 

 lowed, and then passed into the stomach. On being taken 

 from grass, a quantity of corn was given to her, in order to 

 ascertain if the stoppage still existed. The corn accumu- 

 lated the same as before. Mr. Cheethara determined on an 

 operation. He made an incision four inches long into the 

 oesophagus, opposite the sixth cervical vertebra. The tube 

 seemed divested of its muscular fibres, and was composed of 

 cuticular coat alone. The contents of the sac were removed, 

 and she was drenched with warm water to wash out the 

 oesophagus. The sac appeared three or four inches in 

 diameter; but the opening leading from it, below, was so 

 contracted, that it only admitted a probang half an inch in 

 diameter. After the operation the mare drank freely of 

 warm water, which, by applying pressure upon the wound, 

 passed uninterruptedly into the stomach, though without the 

 pressure the greater part escaped. She was bled, and had 

 an aperient. The wound was fomented, and poulticed, and 

 dressed, and the mare partook freely of gruel. Some slough- 

 ing followed, which brought away part of the oesophagus, 

 after which the wound became healthy. Mr. Cheetham now 

 introduced a probang, of the dimensions of the first he used, 

 through the stricture; which operation he repeated twice 

 or thrice a day for ten successive days, with probangs of 

 larger size. Thus was the stricture — which appeared to 

 have been seated at the place where the tube enters the chest 

 — overcome; and since then the probang has been occa- 

 sionally introduced by the owner himself. To assist the 

 mare in swallowing, the sac was aided in its action by 



