22 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



Treatment. — The method of treatment followed in such eases is to 

 separate the animal's jaws with an instrument termed a gag, and then, 

 after drawing the tongue partially forward, to pass the hand into the 

 pharynx and to gently twist the tumor from its attachment. One 

 veterinarian who has had considerable practice in treating this form 

 of disease scrapes through the attachment of the tumor gradually 

 with'his thumb nail. In cases where the attachment is too strong to 

 be severed in this way an instrument like a thimble, but possessing 

 a sharp edge at the end, might be used to effect the same purpose, or 

 the base of the tumor may be severed by the use of a crushing instru- 

 ment known as an e"craseur. 



CHOKING. 



This accident usually happens from attempting to swallow too large 

 an object, such as a turnip, potato, beet, or an apple or pear, though 

 in rare cases choking may occur from bran, chaff, or some other finely 

 divided food lodging in and filling up a portion of the gullet. This 

 latter form of the accident is most likely to occur in animals which 

 are greedy feeders. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms will vary somewhat according to the part 

 of the gullet or throat in which the obstruction is located. In most 

 cases there is a discharge of saliva from the mouth; the animal coughs 

 frequently, and when it drinks the water is soon ejected. The cow 

 stops eating and stands back from the trough, the expression is 

 troubled, breathing is accelerated, and oftentimes the animal bloats 

 as a result of the retention of gas in the paunch. These symptoms, 

 however, are not always present, for if the obstacle does not com- 

 pletely close the throat, or gullet, gas and water may pass, thus amel- 

 iorating the discomfort. If the obstruction is in the neck portion of 

 the gullet, it may be felt as a lump in the left jugular gutter. 



Treatment.— -If the object is in the throat, it is advisable to put a 

 gag in the animal's mouth, and, while the head is held in a horizontal 

 direction by two assistants, to pass the hand into the pharynx, grasp 

 the foreign body, and withdraw it gradually and steadily. When the 

 substance is lodged in the upper part of the gullet, pressure should 

 be made by an assistant in an upward direction against the object 

 while the operator passes his hand into the pharynx, and if the assist- 

 ant can not by pressure dislodge the substance from the gullet the 

 operator may by passing his middle finger above and partly behind 

 the substance gradually slide the object into the pharynx and then 

 withdraw it by the mouth. The presence of an obstructing substance 

 in the cervical portion of the gullet may be ascertained by passing the 

 hand along the left side of the neck, when a hard and painless swell- 

 ing will be found to indicate the presence of the foreign body In 

 such cases we must endeavor by gentle and persevering pressure with 



