44 DADD’S VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY 
of the great value of the animal, and the desperate state of the 
case at the time it fell into my hands. It will also serve to in- 
dorse the old aphorism that “where there is life there is hope.” 
Record of the Case.-—The patient was a Patchen colt, aged four 
years, a very handsome and promising animal. He was pur- 
chased by Mr. McPuHeErson, of this city, for the sum of two 
thousand dollars, and, at the time of his sickness, was considered 
worth three thousand. But disease neither respects man nor 
horse. Each have, once in awhile, to suffer and groan, swallow 
drugs and get well, or die, as the case may be. And as regards 
the horse, the more costly shall he be, the more likely is he to 
get sick, from the fact that valuable horses are almost always 
overfed and petted, and receive too much care and attention. On 
arriving at the stable where the animal was located, I found hiro 
in a dangerous condition. He appeared to be gasping for breath. 
A loud stertorous noise, which could be heard at some distance, 
indicated the nature of the difficulty as depending on obstrue- 
tion within the larynx. The pulse at the angle of the jaw was 
very indistinct. Both pupils of the eyes were dilated, or in «. 
state of amaurosis. The extremities and external surface of the 
body were deathly cold. The tongue and visible mucous surfaces 
were livid, indicating speedy death. Once in awhile the animal 
would be seized with a convulsive or spasmodic fit of coughing, 
which, every time, seemed to threaten his life. In those fits of 
coughing he j assed from the nostrils a sort of cheesy matier, 
which appear:d to be mixed up with a diphtherial exudation— 
yellow secretin and froth. Under the above circumstances, any 
attempt to alminister medicine was deemed unsafe. I there- 
fore decided to perform the operation known as tracheotomy, 
whicn was dr ue, in the following manner: Having secured the 
services of 4 couple of assistants, the horse was led to a conven- 
ient spot iv the center of the stable. An incision was then made 
through ‘he skin, to expose the trachea, about midway between 
the jaws and breast-bone. The trachea was now punctured by 
means 4f a pointed scalpel, and a probe-pointed bistoury was used 
to dissect out a piece of the windpipe, corresponding to the size of 
the tracheotomy tube. This tube, after being inserted into the 
wirJpipe, was secured in place by means of elastic tape, which was 
passed around the neck and tied. On the introduction of tne 
vibe the alarming symptoms immediately subsided. and the aet 
