CRIMEAN REMINISCENCES. 
199 
render this otherwise manageable affection rather difficult of 
treatment. In the present case, abscesses were formed in 
each of the spaces between the bifurcations of the jugular 
veins. They also extended along the neck from the root of 
the mane, near to the second cervical vertebra, to the points 
of each shoulder. Besides these, there were several other 
superficial abscesses on the body, all of which except those 
in the parotideal region, contained pus of a good character. 
Some of them appeared indolent, particularly those about 
the throat, and to them I applied stimulating liniments. 
The pulse was full and much accelerated, and the breathing 
laborious, while the noise made both in inspiration and expi- 
ration was so loud as to be heard at a considerable distance. 
There was likewise a great degree of languor present, 
w 7 ith drooping of the head and protrusion forwards of the 
nose, as if the animal was desirous of bringing the nasal 
passages in a straight line with the trachea, for the more 
ready admission of the atmospheric air to the lungs, or for 
the more easy obtainment of the cooler air from the surface of 
the ground. The appetite had entirely failed, the deglutition 
of fluids was also very difficult, but the action of the bow 7 els 
w as normal. Having sounded the frontal sinuses and examined 
the nostrils and mouth, and satisfied myself of the absence 
of anything that could account for the great difficulty of 
breathing, I concluded that it arose from the formation of 
an abscess, w hose position could not be well decided upon, 
as the parotideal tumours did not seem to me to be capable 
of giving that amount of pressure needed to impart so much 
oppression as was exhibited by my patient. Such being the 
position of affairs, I determined on opening the trachea, w'hich 
1 did by first cutting through the skin and cellular connection 
of the sterno maxillares muscles, and then simply making an 
incisionabouttw T o inchesinlength, through three of the tracheal 
cartilages, commencing at about the fourth. I w 7 as under 
the necessity of making a tube on the spot out of some iron 
piping of a convenient thickness, w’hich though rude in con- 
struction answered the purpose admirably well. I inserted 
this in the opening, and secured it in its place by means of 
a tape passed round the neck. On the introduction of the 
tube there w T as an immediate transition from a state 
bordering on asphyxia, to comparatively an easy, though 
artificial breathing. After some time had elapsed, a little 
frothy mucus accumulated wdthin the tube, blocking it up, 
when the noise returned and I found it necessary to remove 
the tube in order to clean it and the opening also into the 
windpipe. Instruction for its occasional removal, cleaning, 
