150 
DIFFICULTY OF SWALLOWING IN A COW. 
narrow part of the oesophagus, or where that canal enters the 
thorax ; that, when the beast ate any sloppy food, it passed by 
the obstruction and fell into the stomach in the natural way ; but 
when she ate any solid food, such as hay, turnips, &c., she could 
not force it any farther on account of its bulky form, and thereby 
it acted as a total obstruction in the cesophagean canal. 
This might be seen by the sudden inflation of the rumen, when- 
ever the beast swallowed any hay, &c. ; but the inflation of the 
rumen was reduced as soon as the cow had vomited what she had 
partially swallowed. 
Upon inquiry, I found that the cow had on the same day eaten 
very greedily of some turnips that had been cut into slices by a 
young and careless lad, and who, probably, had not been sufficiently 
careful in cutting them small. I, therefore, sent for my probang, 
and immediately passed it down the oesophagus until it reached 
the entrance of the thorax, and there I found the obstruction I just 
before had predicted. By gentle and repeated pressure, however, 
the turnips soon gave way to the probang, which I passed on into 
the stomach, and then withdrew it. 
I now ordered an alterative and tonic drench to be given ; but 
the parsimonious nature of the owner would not allow it, therefore 
I desired him to give a dose of salt and water, and feed her for a 
day or two on bran and a little hay, and be careful in future about 
the cutting of the turnips. 
I then remonstrated with him on the folly and bad policy of not 
applying sooner; for if he had done so the cow would not have been 
reduced so low, but would have been immediately relieved from the 
dreadful pain in which she had been kept so long ; and the whole 
was to be traced to his sheer carelessness, neglect, and mistaken 
notions of saving. The only reply he made was, that he had done it 
to save expense, and he never thought she was choked, but would 
get better of herself. So, after again cautioning him about the cut- 
ting of the turnips, &c. I left him. About two hours afterwards I was 
called upon in great haste to visit the same cow. When I arrived, 
I found that she again was in the same state. I inquired what 
kind of food they had been giving her, and I was informed that she 
had had some very small cut potatoes and grains, and was imme- 
diately choked when she began to swallow them. I applied the 
probang again in the manner I had previously done, and found the 
oesophagus to be obstructed in the same place as before. With a 
little trouble I again relieved her of the obstruction, and ordered 
another slight dose of salt and water, along with a little ol. lini. 
After again giving strict orders as to her food, I left her, and saw 
her again in a few days. She was fast recovering her usual health 
and flesh. 
