Discuses of Pharynx^ (Esophagus and Stomach. 437 



Diseases of the pharynx and the adjacent structures niav, on the 

 one hand, give rise to faults of obtaining food (painful inflamma- 

 tions), and on the other hand if swallowing is interfered with by 

 such conditions important complications may arise as consequences. 

 As the respiratory and alimentary canals cross in the pharynx and 

 the epiglottal orifice must be closed in the act of swallowing and the 

 nasal cavity must also be shut off from the mouth by the superior 

 pharyngeal wall, there arises a danger in all affections which dimin- 

 ish the contractile power of the musculature of the pharyngeal walls 

 (peripharyngeal oedema, inflammations, etc.) that particles of food 

 and saliva may And their way into the nose or into the larynx and 

 lungs. Sometimes the food and drink runs back (regurgitates) into 

 the nose, or in case of pharyngeal palsy remains in the pharynx 

 itself ; and under such circumstances drops and particles of the 

 pharyngeal mucus and food may be drawn into the respiratory pas- 

 sages (aspirated). The fluids of the pharynx and mouth are apt 

 to contain great numbers of bacteria, and these foreign agents mav 

 cause in the lungs the most serious inflammatory disturbances, ter- 

 minating in gangrene {gangrenous inhalation pnciinioiiia) . 



Diseases of the Oesophagus may cause important interference 

 with nutrition. Both by constrictions and, too, by patholog- 

 ical dilatations of the gullet the food is prevented from passing 

 regularlv into the stomach. The larger fragments lodge at the 

 place of stenosis and in any dilated parts, or in case of paralysis 

 lie stagnant in the lumen of tlie tube and block the passage. 

 This induces retching movementjs (antiperistaltic contractions) 

 on the part of the cesophageal musculature, or if the oesophageal 

 muscles are paralyzed vomiting movements on the part of the 

 stomach (pressure b\' the stagnant mass and by the oesophagus, 

 stuffed full like a sausage, upon the \agus nerves). Further- 

 more these stagnating masses of food undergo fermentation, 

 cause injury to the mucous membrane and may in this way lead 

 to rupture of the oesophagus ; and in the latter event, from 

 escape of septic materials, the surrounding tissue (cellular tis- 

 sue of neck, mediastinum and thoracic cavity) is apt to undergo 

 suppuration and gangrene. In ruminants from partial or com- 

 plete obstruction of the oesophagus (new growths, pressure from 

 enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes) regurgitation of the gastric 

 contents and eructation of gases from the stomach are interfered 

 with, with tlie resultant development of clironic flatulence. 



Diseases of the Stomach. — The efficiency of the gastric func- 



