422 VETERINARY SURGICAL OPERATIONS 



rupted silk sutures arranged to provide drainage at the lower 

 commissure. 



AFTER-CARE.— The success of the operation depends 

 largely upon the length of the incision. When it is found 

 possible to remove the object through a small incision the 

 operation is but a trivial matter, but on the other hand if 

 the incision is long, and especially if the local inflammation 

 provoked by the sojourn of the object in the oesophagus, is 

 acute and verges upon gangrene, the chances of successfully 

 closing the incision permanently are indeed meager. An 

 oesophageal fistula will develop despite everything. 



The patient is allowed only liquid diet for seven days, 

 and that in such limited quantities that rumination will cease. 

 Healing of a sutured oesophageal incision in ruminants is 

 impossible if its forcible contractions are not in some way 

 prevented. 



Operation for Choke in Fowls. 



SYNONYM. — Ingluviotomy. 



INDICATIONS.— In fowls, choke takes the form of im- 

 paction of the ingluvies (crop) with grains, corn, peas, oats, 

 etc, that may sometimes end fatally if not relieved. The 

 condition is diagnosed by a general malaise, and palpation 

 of the craw, which stands out prominently. The economic 

 importance of operation is small except in selected individ- 

 uals reserved for special purposes. Frequently during the 

 author's career, prize cocks and pullets, pit cocks, homer 

 pigeons, pet fowls and parrots, presented for treatment have 

 been found suffering with this condition, and in every case 

 the evacuation of the contents by incision was successful 

 except where the walls of the crop were found gangrenous 

 when incised. 



TECHNIQUE. — The operation is preceded by plucking 

 the feathers from the surface of the crop and disinfection 

 with mercuric chloride solution. A longitudinal incision is 

 made on the- median 'line about two inches long, varying 

 with the size of the patient. The cutaneous incision im- 

 mediately exposes the impacted sac which is then opened by 

 an incision somewhat shorter then the former. The con- 

 tents are removed by pressure, the cavity washed out and 

 then closed with interrupted silk sutures, dusted with iodo- 

 form and painted with collodion. 



AFTER-CARE. — The patient is made to subsist upon a 

 limited semi-liquid ration of mush for one week, at which 

 time the cutaneous sutures are removed. 



