P ABASHES IN THE (ESOPHAGUS. 16!) 



roptera sanguinolenta and strongylus trigonocephalus, both 

 round worms, most frequently lodged close to the stomach, 

 and which lead to the production of a swelling of consider- 

 able size. This creates much irritation and persistent efforts 



enlargement was less than before ; but, after giving about a pint of 

 tepid water, to ascertain if fluids could pass into the stomach, the 

 tumour was visibly larger, and also the oasophagus higher up. Mr H. 

 concluded from this that there was rupture of the muscular coat of the 

 gullet, and that no fluid given per mouth could pass into the stomach. 

 The right lung and trachea were also much interfered with, both the 

 inspiration and the expiration being very much louder than normal 

 He concluded from this untoward symptom that when the oesophagus 

 became full of saliva and mucus, that a part of its contents passed 

 over and into the larynx, producing that condition of windpipe and 

 lung which the breathing indicated; the pulse also was 95 and hard, 

 and the mucus membranes intensely injected, the ears cold, and the 

 countenance anxious. Believing that he had ruptured oesophagus to 

 deal with, he considered the case all but hopeless, but, as nature sometimes 

 does wonders in her reparative processes, he thought it prudent to re- 

 commend hot fomentations to be continued without cessation, and about 

 a tablespoonful of ol. olivas opt., mixed with which was some opii puh r - 

 and morphia, to assist hi some measure to allay the irritation constantly 

 going on. Twenty-four hours elapsed, and he saw the patient again, 

 when there was little or no alteration of symptoms, except the pulse 

 quicker and the breathing rather more laboured. On Wednesday 

 morning fomentations with blankets was discontinued, and a poultice 

 applied instead, shortly after which the tumour in the neck disappeared, 

 and the animal drank nearly a pailful of gruel and linseed tea without 

 any difficulty. On Thursday afternoon, 1^ pints of oil were given, as 

 the bowels had not responded since Wednesday morning, but the colt 

 died early on Friday. Having been requested by the owner to make a 

 post-mortem examination, he did so on the Saturday afternoon, when, to 

 his very great surprise, he found that the walls of the oesophagus were 

 not ruptured, but immensely dilated for some twelve or fourteen inche?, 

 and to a less extent quite to the stomach ; all the areolar tissues and 

 muscles surrounding the enlargement, just anterior to where the gullet 

 passes between the two first ribs, were filled with black clotted blood, 



