CHOKING. 251 



the thoracic portion of the oesophagus, a ball composed of 

 the ashes of tobacco, enveloped in double paper. At first, 

 all knowledge concerning this discovery was stoutly denied; 

 but afterwards a confession came, that the ball had been 

 administered for worms. Had not such delusion been prac- 

 tised, the probang would have been used, and, Mr. King 

 thinks, might have proved eflPectual. 



Mr. King also observes, there is a notion abroad that 

 new-laid eggs will improve the condition of horses ; and the 

 practice is, to administer them with the shell only starred 

 in a few places : a practice that has in some instances been 

 the means of choking the animal. 



Mr. King was once called to a horse with a reported '' sore 

 throat.^^ The groom sivore he knew no cause for it. 

 Mr. King, however, had reasons for entertaining doubts of the 

 man^s veracity, and therefore proceeded at once to pass a 

 probang. On the return of the instrument, the bulb was 

 found covered with fragments of egg-shell. The horse 

 speedily recovered. Mr. King has had related to him, on good 

 authority, two similar cases in cattle practice. 



The following irremediable and fatal case of the same 

 description occurred to Mr. T. Cooper, V.S., Coleshill. 



In December, 1834, Mr. Cooper was called to Dunton Hall, 

 to a bay horse that was taken suddenly unwell. Mr. Cooper 

 found the animal ^^ coughing violently, and stamping with 

 his fore feet ; with saliva running from his mouth, which he 

 occasionally attempted to swallow, though the greater part 

 returned through his nostrils." It was evident there was 

 obstruction. The horse had been eating Swedish turnips. 

 Mr. Cooper passed a whalebone down the oesophagus, " and 

 a rounded substance could be distinctly seen driven before it. 

 The horse after this appeared to be relieved : he ate some hay 

 and drank some water, and was left for the night." Next 

 day he was much worse. "He does not cough, but heaves very 

 much at the flank ; refuses all food and drink ; is dejected ; 

 saliva with mucus runs from his nose, and much of it he 

 swallows." He was bled ; took an aperient with digitalis ; 

 and his throat was blistered, from a notion that " the sub- 



