3.54 OPERATION FOR SUFFOCATION IN [BOOK II. 



nostrils distended ; the breathing is then exceed- 

 ingly laborious and difficult, accompanied by rat- 

 tling in the throat. 



Cure. — For this last mentioned extreme case, no 

 other remedy is found than making an opening in 

 the windpipe, through which the animal may breathe. 

 For this spirited operation, we must refer to Mr. 

 Field, the veterinary surgeon, who has performed 

 it frequently, and says his practice was to cut an 

 aperture the size of a guinea, which nature after- 

 wards supplies in due time. With this exception, 

 perhaps, we might be justified in saying that we 

 have little or no business to meddle with the 

 strangles ; unless, indeed, unfavourable symptoms 

 arise, and the previous habits of the horse, his pre- 

 sent fleshy or gross habit of body, with the un- 

 favourable situation of the tumours near the bone, 

 give good reason for believing that the disease will 

 turn out a tedious or dangerous case. And yet, we 

 should be very loth to recommend purging or bleed- 

 ing for strangles, as we have seen done with no 

 good effect ; for, although the symptoms are there- 

 by lowered, yet the continuance of the disorder is 

 protracted to an unmeasurable length, and we have 

 heard of the strangles devolving into glanders by 

 this course of proceeding — the subject of this case 

 being a five year old, off, cart mare. 



On the contrary, the disorder being constitu- 

 tional, that is to say, an effort of nature to relieve 

 itself of some noxious matters, the strength of the 

 animal system should be sustained in a degree pro- 



