22 PRIVATE PRESCRIPTIONS 
most instances it is caused by eating dry food, such as 
thrashed oats, fodder, hay, etc., without these being prop- 
erly incorporated with and moistened by the saliva. These 
accumulate in great lumps in the gullet, usually about six- 
inches below the pharynx. 
HOw TO KNOwW IT. 
There is liitle room for mistake in diagnosis when a horse 
is choked, for his every act plainly indicates the trouble. 
We notice the choked horse elevating his head and strctch- 
ing his neck, he is coughing hard at intervals, as if trying 
to expel something from the throat, and the saliva runs 
freely from both sides of the mouth. In some instances 
the flanks are distended. 
WHAT TO DO. 
Make a thorough examination, and if obstruction can be 
reached, remove it with either hands or forceps. Should 
you fail in your efforts at removing it in this way, admin- 
ister a few swallows of raw Linseed oil, ora half a dozen 
raw eggs; if these do not soften lump and lubricate gullet 
sufficient to allow it to pass on to the stomach, force must 
be used. here is a probe made expressly for work of this 
kind, but a smooth buggy whip well greased, or small rub- 
ber tube is all right. By exerting gentle pressure with 
probe upon obstruction, it can in most cases be readily 
forced into the stomach Great caution must be exercised 
in introducing any of these things into the throat, to avoid 
pushing them through the walls of the gullett, and never 
allow them to remain for longer than a minute at a time, 
as the patient cannot breathe with an instrument of this 
kind in his throat 
