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DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



There is often dysphagia, and deglutition is sometimes impossible. 

 With their hind quarters under them, the neck extended, and head 

 low, the animals often make the most violent efibrts to produce a 

 dislodgement of the bolus (Arloing), and at the same time a very 

 peculiar hard, gurgling bruit is heard. Some patients go through 

 the motion of mastication and deglutition, although they have not 

 taken food for several hours. Salivation is abundant, and we 

 may have colics recurring periodically (Leblanc). In the bovine 

 species affected with jabot, we may notice an irresistible tendency 

 to lick surrounding objects. In some cases, when hay can no 

 longer pass the dilatation, oats and cut straw may be easily 

 swallowed. 



The pathognomonic symptom of jabot is the existence of a 

 tumor in the left jugular region, more or less elongated, and of 

 varying dimensions, from the size of the fist to that of a man's 

 head. The tumor appears when the animal is feeding, and may 

 disappear under pressure of the hand. It is painful, if at the 

 same time an œsophagitis exists ; at the moment of deglutition, 

 very quick peristaltic movement may be noticed. 



The sound introduced into the œsophagus comes in contact with 

 an obstacle, arising either from post-ectasic contraction, or a cul- 

 de-sac of the jabot, or from alimentary material accumulated there. 



Frequently there are excessive coughing spells and dyspnœa ; 

 this may even lead to suffocation through compression of the 

 trachea. In one case the left carotid was the seat of very energetic 

 pulsations. 



As a rule, this condition lasts for years ; it terminates in death, 

 however, sooner or later, through exhaustion and marasmus, 

 asphyxia, or rupture of the œsophagus. 



Diagnosis. Jabot may be confounded with rupture, inflam- 

 mation, spasm and paralysis of the œsophagus, with pharyngitis, 

 stomatitis, acute gastritis, with various poisonings, and even with 

 colics. Careful examination of the patient, the use of the œso- 

 phageal sound, and also persistence of the disease, allows us to 

 make an exact diagnosis in most cases. 



Treatment. Treatment of œsophageal ectasia is rarely suc- 

 cessful. In giving small quantities of liquid or semi-liquid food 

 we may produce those complications which are the consequence of 

 the disease. When food begins to accumulate in the jabot, the 

 sound or hand massage becomes useful. Operation on the jabot 



