668 
FRACTURE OF THE OS HYOIDES. 
two-year-old off, brown colt. The head was swollen on the 
off side, commencing from the zygomatic ridge, and extend- 
ing to the lips. The tongue was hanging out of the mouth, 
a good deal enlarged, and was motionless. The pulse was 
natural, as were likewise the mucous membranes, as ob- 
served on the opposite side. The appetite was good; but 
there seemed an inability to swallow. I thought it w r as the 
effect of a blow or kick, and therefore ordered fomentations, 
and administered an alterative drench, very little of which 
was swallowed. After remaining w 7 ith her two hours, the 
swelling so rapidly increased that I bled her, generally and 
locally; but without its having the slightest effect. The 
tongue became gradually more enlarged, the swelling extend- 
ing to the other side of the face. About twelve o’clock the 
breathing had become difficult, in consequence of obstruction 
of the nasal passages ; while underneath the jaws there ap- 
peared an exudation of serum, very viscid ; considering this 
as an effort of nature, I repeatedly scarified the whole extent 
of the swelling, and the fomentations w ere kept up incessantly, 
with the addition of poppy-heads, opium, &c. The difficulty 
of breathing still increasing, I judged it prudent to obtain 
the instruments for tracheotomy, and remain with my patient 
all night. Up till half-past six o’clock in the morning 
(Saturday) the enlargement of the whole of the head and 
tongue had still rapidly increased, until it became quite a 
wonderful object to look at, w hile the poor animal was unable 
to support it without the rest either of an attendant, the 
manger, or the ground. There was a constant dribbling of 
saliva, and the sides of the franum lingua were thickly furred, 
and an unpleasant smell began to arise. I was now at a 
complete loss to divine w hat was the cause of all this enor- 
mous effusion, imagining there might be some internal abcess, 
either internally, about the root of the tongue, or the frontal 
sinuse, &c., or somewhere that might point outside. I en- 
deavoured to administer gruel with the catheter and pump, 
but directly the tube touched anywhere about the region of 
the velum palati, the struggles of the unfortunate animal 
became so violent that I was obliged to desist, and content 
myself w ith ordering a pint of gruel per rectum, every tw r o 
hours, and the bathing to be still continued, and also the 
steam of turpentine, from off a w 7 arm brick, to be now and 
then held under his nose. I then left him for the day. 
I may state that the nasal passage on the near side had pre- 
served its natural condition for some hours, so I did not fear 
suffocation w henever I left him. About eleven o’clock, how- 
ever, I was sent for again. I found the swelling somewhat 
