OESOPHAGUS. j6i 



strings; this discovery should lead the careful stableman to 

 examine the throat internally, and should the swelling appear 

 likely to cause grave results, it may be necessary to open and dis- 

 charge the abscess; on the other hand, this necessity will not 

 frequently arise, as the administration of the homoeopathic remedies 

 which exercise a special influence on suj^puration, usually mature 

 and ripen abscesses, wherever located, with considerable rapidit}' 

 and these burst and discharge naturally without the uecessit}' for 

 operative intervention. 



Treatment. — Belladonna 3X in the earlier stages while the 

 mucous membrane of the throat looks bright red and dry; soreness 

 and difficult}- of swallowing are very apparent; the eyes also are 

 frequently streaked with red lines over the white portion; the 

 body temperature is exalted and the pulse more rapid than 

 normal; under such conditions the remedy will frequently abort 

 the inflammation and prevent the development of suppuration. 



Hepar sulphur 3X when the swelling in the throat is thoroughly 

 established and it is quite clear that the formation of pus has com- 

 menced, this agent will aid in the rapid maturation and ripening 

 of the abscess. 



Accessory Measures. — Much assistance may be afforded by 

 making the horse inhale hot steam; a nose bag containing bran 

 or finely cut chaff should be attached to the head; thereupon pour 

 sufficient boiling water to saturate the contents of the bag, then 

 throw a rug over the horse's head to keep the steam from evapor- 

 ating too rapidly. 



CESOPHAGUS— GULLET. 



The diseases affecting the gullet are rare in the horse, indeed, 

 so rare that beyond referring to ordinary inflammation of the 

 oesophageal tube, it is not necessary to mention them; but the 

 tube may suffer from mechanical injury, either as the result of 

 external violence or through swallowing food that is not suffi- 

 ciently broken up or macerated, such as a piece of carrot or 

 turnip; the conseqvience of such an occurrence may lead up to a 

 dilatation of the gullet, which, of course, will be chiefly ob^^v- 

 able during the period that a horse is eating or drinking, as the 

 the dilated portion of the canal becomes extra distended at this 

 time; tli3 probability of doing much good under such circum- 



