(ESOPHAGOTOMY. 253 



These occurrences are exceeding rare in army practice. 

 I can charge my memory but with one such a case; and 

 that originated in some one having clandestinely given the 

 horse an entire potato to eat. I attribute this exemption to 

 three causes. First^, to cavalry horses being fed four times 

 a day% and not being allowed above a quartern of oats at a 

 time. Secondly, to no roots or hard substances whatever 

 being given them for food. Thirdly, to the balls which are 

 exhibited being such as are fresh compounded, and con- 

 sequently not hard. The shape of the ball is also a con- 

 sideration. ^ 



I quite agree with Mr. King, that, in combination with 

 the probang, the patent stomach syringe should be employed 

 in these cases, and no doubt might be with very great ser- 

 vice. The probang we use ought to be a perforated or 

 tubular one, through which, when introduced, liquids might 

 be injected without the trouble and loss of time of a fresh 

 introduction. 



(ESOPHAGOTOMY. 



When the means detailed under the head of " Choking" 

 prove ineffectual for the removal of the foreign body — what- 

 ever it may be — obstructing the canal of the oesophagus, the 

 operation of cutting into the tube, called cesophagotomy, must 

 be our resource; unless it happen that the obstruction be 

 below the neck, within the chest, and then no knife can pos- 

 sibly reach it. The same operation may likewise be prac- 

 tised with a view of overcoming impermeable stricture, or 

 for the purpose of injecting medicinal or alimentary matters 

 into the stomach when there is no possibility of introducing 

 them through the mouth. In the hands of a veterinary 

 anatomist there is nothing to dread in the performance of 

 cesophagotomy ; although, from the oesophagus lying behind 

 the windpipe, and much deeper seated, and there being the 

 jugular veins and carotid arteries, and par vagum, and sym- 

 pathetic and recurrent nerves, along the sides of the trachea, 



1 Vol. i, p. 47. 



