80 THE NATURE AND TREATMENT OP 



LACERATION OF THE CESOPHAGUS. 



This accident very frequently occurs from the objectionable 

 practice of attempting to force a foreign body, such as an apple, 

 potato, or turnip, that the animal has greedily attempted to 

 swallow, down the oesophagus into a more dilated part of the 

 digestive aparatus,by means of such rude instruments as a whip- 

 stock or common stick, in lieu of a proper instrument, known 

 as Siprohang. The operator sometimes succeeds in removing the 

 obstruction, but soon a swelling is observed in the region of the 

 neck ; the animal evinces signs of pain, and symptoms of suf- 

 focation ensue ; in such cases it is evident that the oesophagus 

 is ruptured. The following from the author's case book is in- 

 troduced in view of showing the folly of forcibly removing such 

 obstructions. 



Oct. lOM, 1855. — Saw a cow, at Feltonville, the property 

 of Mr. Welch and others. The animal had calved about ten 

 days previous, and done well ; two days after parturition she 

 was purchased by another man for the above party, and driven 

 to her new home. On the way thither she ^^ picked up an ap- 

 ple and got choked;" the apple was discovered in the upper 

 half of the oesophagus. The attendant tried to manipulate it 

 either one way or the other, but failing in this, he procured a 

 whipstock, and forced the foreign body towards the rumen. 

 This induced convulsions, and the subject threw herself vio- 

 lently down, with the whipstock in her throat. This feat she 

 repeated several times, to the imminent danger of limb and 

 life. She shortly, however, recovered and appeared to do well, 

 and the next day, I believe, was received by the above 

 firm. After a brief space she appeared to be " ailing,'* and 

 the owners, thinking the apple was the cause of the same, gave 

 her a full dose of oil. Soon afterwards, inverted peristaltic 

 action took place, and whenever she attempted to swallow 

 fluids or solids, vomiting, or regurgitation, took place. This 

 was her condition at the time I saw her — ten days after the 

 first attack. I prescribed alkalies and counter irritation; next 



