THE DISEASES OF CATTLE. 83 



fastened. If much force be used, laceration of the oesophagus 

 is apt to occur ; therefore, if the foreign body will not yield to 

 gentle pressure, I should pour down a little olive oil; wait 

 awhile, and then try the probang again. If, however, the 

 foreign body can be detected, and the probang fails to remove 

 it, we should immediately perform the operation of oesophago- 

 tomy, which consists of making an opening into the gullet large 

 enough to remove the former, and then bringing the divided 

 edges together again by means of sutures — stitches. ' 



Cases like the above (when the medical man is not called 

 on until after the lapse of several days from the time of the 

 accident), do not admit of the introduction of a probang. 



The following case, which occurred in the practice of W. 

 Sanders, Student Royal Veterinary College, goes to show that 

 an animal should never be consigned to death until the skill of 

 a qualified person proves unavailing. " In the month of March 

 a young Alderney cow became choked with a Swede turnip, 

 which was found to be impacted about the termination of the 

 third of the cervical portion of the oesophagus. The owner 

 immediately sent for a person whom he had been in the habit 

 of employing, but who, not having a proper probang, substi- 

 tuted a common ash stick. After some difficulty, the obstruc- 

 tion in this way was removed. In the course of a fortnight the 

 neck was found much swollen, and the animal not only evinced 

 a great deal of pain, but sometimes, as I was informed, ap- 

 peared as though threatened with suffocation. It was supposed 

 that the oesophagus must be ruptured, in consequence of, as it 

 appeared, a considerable portion of food having protruded be- 

 tween the muscles of the neck, just anterior to the sternum. 

 A small orifice was made through the skin, and a portion of 

 the food (for food it proved to be) removed. The cow continued 

 to get worse for several days, and putrefaction had apparently 

 commenced. The attendant now advised the owner to have 

 the cow slaughtered ; but as her condition precluded the pros- 

 pect of selling her advantageously, it was deemed expedient to 

 risk the chances of recovery, especially as she was young and 

 in calf. Under these circumstances, my brother, who resides in 



