CHOKE 239 



Treatment. — In case of choke, food, drink, or medicine may 

 easily cause a fatal pneumonia, by entering the lungs through 

 the pharynx; hence the need of great caution. 



If the obstruction is within reach, it should be removed by 

 the hand, the teeth being held apart by some suitable device to 

 protect the arm. A person with long arm and slender hand can 

 frequently relieve choking in the pharynx or upper portion of 

 the gullet, especially if he has an assistant to shove the obstruc- 

 tion upward toward the hand. A thin glove with the ends of 

 the fingers cut off is desirable for protecting the hand. 



Dry food that cannot be reached by hand should be softened 

 by the use of oily or mucilaginous drinks, and then gradually 

 worked loose by external manipulation. Frequently the ob- 

 structing mass can be loosened at the lower portion, a little 

 at a time, and the loosened portion swallowed. 



r 



Fig. 82. — For Relieving Choke. (M. E. B.) 

 Made of No. 10 or 12 wire. 



If the choke is along the neck, and caused by dry feed like 

 oats or bran, then water or raw linseed oil injected directly into 

 the dry mass with a good hypodermic syringe may soften and 

 dislodge the obstruction. A case of this kind may often be 

 relieved by washing the feed out through a double-current 

 stomach tube. A single-current tube may be used to siphon out 

 soft feed. Loosen the upper portion of the mass with the 

 fingers, then fill the tube with water, drop the outer end, and 

 siphon out. Repeat as many times as necessary. For this pur- 

 pose, or for use as a probang, a small sized lawn hose, well 

 oiled, does very well. This method is applicable whether the 

 obstruction is in the neck or within the chest. A probang should 

 not be used in cases where the trouble is due to dry food. 



The simple device shown in Figure 82 is very satisfactory 

 for relieving choke due to pieces of vegetables. It consists of a 

 piece of No. 10 to 12 wire, about 12 feet long, the ends bent 

 together and twisted as shown in the cut, leaving a suitable loop 

 at the point which was originally the middle of the wire. This 

 instrument is introduced into the gullet. The farther end passes 

 the obstruction, which is then included by the loop. By pulling 



