GROWTHS FROM MUCOUS MEMBRANE, ETC., OF A COW. 253 
partial relief only could be expected, a mild cathartic was 
administered, and instructions given that the animal be sup- 
plied with a liberal allowance of oil-cake gruel, but only with 
a moderate quantity of oil cake and hay, in a form which 
would permit of their being easily swallowed. 
The case made no progress towards a cure, and on the 9th 
of the present month (February), the animal, having be- 
come so weak as to be unable to rise, was slaughtered, 
and the oesophagus and a portion of the lung sent for my 
inspection. On examining the oesophagus externally, I found 
it greatly increased in size, and to contain something which 
possessed a sponge-like feel. On laying it open I discovered 
that its lining membrane presented a most remarkable con- 
dition, being studded with abnormal growths — cauliflower- 
like in appearance — nearly throughout its entire course. The 
papillae of the mucous membrane had indeed so much in- 
creased as to be as numerous and prominent as in some parts 
of the rumen. The dilatation of the oesophagus was also so 
great that when laid flat on the table it measured fully twelve 
inches in its short diameter. 
The outer or muscular portion of the tube had a normal 
appearance, but was increased in thickness to be the better 
suited, as may be supposed, for the difficult office of over- 
coming the mechanical obstruction both to the descent and 
ascent of the ingesta in deglutition and rumination. 
The portion of the lung sent was consolidated, and showed 
traces of remote inflammation, in the form of a variety of 
grey hepatization. Besides this, numerous tuberculous de- 
posits existed in other parts of the structure. 
It is somewhat remarkable that, taking into consideration 
the state of the oesophagus, no one about the animal should 
have observed the difficulty of swallowing which must have 
long existed, or detected any increase of size in the animal’s 
neck. I am aware that a few cases of this kind have been 
recorded, and curiously enough little or no history has been 
given with any of them, whereby a correct diagnosis might 
have been formed. The growths are doubtless due to hyper- 
trophy of the papillae of the mucous membrane, but it is by 
no means clear *on what this condition depends. Patholo- 
gically they are allied to warts, but even the origin of true 
warts is shrouded in mystery. Exposure to dirt and slight 
injuries are supposed by some persons to give rise to warts, 
but except in cases of choking it is difficult to see how causes 
like these would be in operation to produce these growths 
from the lining membrane of the oesophagus. 
