252 DISEASES OF THE TEP:TH, ETC. 



stance might have injured his throat." Third day: much 

 the same. " Takes gruel from a bottle, but will not eat." 

 Mr. Cooper from the first had no hope of saving him, and early 

 next morning he died. On dissection, a large sized hen's 

 egg, enti7'ely whole, was found firmly impacted in the oeso- 

 phagus, within a few inches of its cardiac termination ; the 

 parietes of the tube around the egg being ''much dilated, 

 and ulcerated nearly through." The groom confessed he 

 had given the egg a few hours before Mr. Cooper was sent for, 

 with a view of improving the horse's condition. The balls 

 which had been given must have passed the egg in a liquid 

 state, probably along with the gruel. — Veterinarian, 1835. 



Mr. George Holmes, V.S., Thirst, Yorkshire, has, in 

 'The Veterinarian' for 1839, detailed a case of much in- 

 terest, no less from its pressingly dangerous tendency than 

 from the prompt and judicious manner in which he treated it. 



Mr. H. was sent for in great haste to Ashbury House, to 

 a horse in a most distressing state, "breathing with the 

 greatest difiiculty, heaving violently at the flanks, with the 

 countenance exhibiting an expression of the intensest agony. 

 He was foaming at the mouth, his ears were cold, and, in 

 fact, it was evident that, unless instant relief were afforded, 

 he must die; since a ball had been given a little while 

 before, which had stuck in his throat." Mr. H. could 

 detect no ball in the oesophagus : he was convinced it 

 was in the fauces, or pressing against the larynx ; but 

 the violent heaving, and the instant suffocation that 

 threatened when he was moved, precluded any attempt to 

 pass the probang. Mr. H. therefore determined on imme- 

 diate tracheotomy. This gave instant, but very far from 

 permanent relief. After a short interval Mr. H. endeavoured 

 to pass the probang, and, after repeated attempts, succeeded 

 in removing the ball. The horse was then bled, and 

 had an aperient ball. Still he breathed high, and his pulse 

 was 100 : he was, therefore, bled again, and took two scru- 

 ples of opium, with the same quantity of digitalis : this 

 admirably allayed the irritation. Fifteen hours after, all 

 was going on well. 



