THE HORSE IN SICKNESS AND DISEASE 327 



rendered difficult indeed. As the passage grows narrower, 

 greater violence is resorted to, and the thrust is perse- 

 vered in till the whip moves onward, and the stablemen 

 congratulate each other that all is right at last." 



" When the whip seemed to yield," continues Mr. 

 Mayhew, " something more than the obstruction gave way ; 

 the membranous wall of the tube was ruptured ; and an 

 almost inevitable death awaits the unfortunate animal. 

 He makes every effort in his power to complete his 

 imperfect swallow, and gulp down the cause of his distress. 

 Should he not succeed, his throat and neck become, through 

 his ineffectual exertions, spasmodically drawn up ; and 

 probably he gives every now and then a loud shriek 

 expressive of anguish. Should he attempt to swallow 

 water, the fluid, together with the saliva abounding in his 

 mouth, returns through his nostrils. The refusal of food, 

 with symptoms of apparent sore throat, connected with 

 circumstances of a suspicious nature, should induce us to 

 examine the pharynx and oesophagus well with our fingers 

 to detect any prominence ; also, to give the animal water, 

 with a view of ascertaining whether there be obstruction 

 of any sort or not. If the fluid is ejected through the nose, 

 we should be warranted in introducing a probang, than 

 which, in case the obstructing body lie below the neck, we 

 possess no other means so sure of discovering its seat, or so 

 readily removing it. A probang, however, is an instrument 

 in the possession of professional persons only, and one 

 which often happens to be at home when they want it 

 abroad, and therefore they are frequently forced to seek 

 a substitute. A stout cane might answer the purpose. In 

 all cases no time is to be lost. Water — often a great 

 assistant — and the probang are to be immediately had 

 recourse to." 



A word about the probang for the horse. It should be 

 like that used for the human subject, consisting of a slip 

 of fine whalebone, having a sponge at one end. When 

 required, saturate the sponge with water or sweet oil, and 

 sponge it dry before driving it down the oesophagus. The 

 material will adapt itself to the diameter of the gullet 

 without injury, and will not be difficult to draw back, 

 even should it enter the cardiac orifice. 



The following case shows a successful removal of a soft 

 obstruction without resorting to cesophagotomy. 



