20 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



before described. Enlarged postpharyngeal l^nnphatic glands are 

 not rare in tuberculosis, and by pressing upon the wall of the pharynx 

 and restricting the lumen of this organ they cause difficulty in both 

 breathing and swallowing. Such enlarged glands may be differ- 

 entiated from tumors by passing the hand into the coav's throat after 

 the jaws are separated by a suitable speculum or gag. 



Treatment. — The method of treatment in such cases is to sepa- 

 rate the animal's jaws with an instrument termed a gag, and then, 

 after drawing the tongue partiall}'^ forward, to pass the hand into the 

 pharynx and to twist the tumor gently from its attachment. One 

 veterinarian who has had considerable practice in treating this form 

 of disease scrapes through the attachment of the tumor gradmilly 

 with his thumb nail. When the attachment is too strong to be 

 severed in this way an instrument like a thimble, but possessing a 

 sharp edge at the end, may be used to effect the same purpose, or 

 the base of the tumor may be severed by the use of a crushing instru- 

 ment known as an ecraseur. 



CHOKING. 



Choking usually happens from attempting to swallow too large 

 an object, such as a turnip, potato, beet, apple^ or pear, though in 

 rare cases it may occur from bran, chaff, or some other finely divided 

 feed lodging in and filling up a portion of the gullet. This latter 

 form of the accident is most likely to occur in animals that are 

 greedy feeders. 



Symptoms. — The sj^mptoms vary somewhat according to the part 

 of the gullet or throat in which the obstruction is. In most cases 

 there is a discharge of saliva from the mouth ; the animal coughs fre- 

 quently, and when it drinks the water is soon ejected. The cow 

 stops eating and stands back from the trough, the expression is 

 troubled, breathing is accelerated, and oftentimes there is bloating 

 as a result of the retention of gas in the paunch. These symptoms, 

 however, are not always present, for if the obstacle does not com- 

 pletely close the throat or gullet, gas and water may pass, thus 

 ameliorating the discomfort. If the obstruction is in the neck por- 

 tion of the gullet, it may be felt as a lump in the left jugular gutter. 



Treatment. — If the object is in the throat, it is advisable to put a 

 gag in the animal's mouth, and, while the head is in a horizontal 

 direction by two assistants, to pass the hand into the pharynx, grasp 

 the foreign body, and withdraw it gradually and steadily. ^"Mien the 

 substance is lodged in the upper part of the gullet, pressure should 

 be made by an assistant in an upward direction against the object 

 while the oi)erator passes his hand into the pharynx, and if the assist- 

 ant can not by pressure dislodge the substance from the gullet, the 

 operator may by passing his middle finger above and partly behind 



