TRACHEOTOMY. 



697 



during cold weather, and when the organs of breathing are violently 

 called into play. The presence of an open tube affords a ready 

 means of entrance, into the bronchial tubes, of dust and other 

 irritating matters. A horse which wears a tube will always be 

 exposed to the danger of injury from his rubbing the tube, or its 

 catching on some object. The special precautions which have to 

 be taken with such an animal, militate against the value of the 

 operation in inverse proportion to the amount of attention which 

 can be bestowed on the patient. We must not forget that the 

 relief in breathing from tracheotomy experienced by the roarer, in 



Fig. 182. — Jones' tracheotomy tube. 



no way cures his nervous complaint, which in many cases appears 

 to injuriously affect the general nutrition of the body, as well as 

 the implicated muscle or muscles of the larynx. 



INDICATIONS FOR PERMANENT TRACHEOTOMY.— As a 

 rule, permanent tracheotomy answers fairly well for a time with 

 ■' noisy " race-horses and chasers ; provided that their " class," 

 independently of their infirmity, was considerably higher than that 

 in which they are intended to compete. As a great rule, tube- 

 bearers can succeed only among selling platers. I would not 

 recommend the operation for ordinary horses which are roarers, 

 unless their infirmity seriously impairs their efficiency. Owing 



