COMMUNICATIONS AND CONSULTATIONS. 
495 
Your opinion in answer will very much oblige me, and, if you 
will be so good as note the amount of your consultation fee, I shall 
have the pleasure of remitting it by return of post. 
I am, Sir, &c. 
No. XXXI. 
Reply of Professor DlCK. 
Edinburgh, 10th August, 1845. 
Sir, — The case of your horse is a curious one, and I have some 
difficulty in deciding as to its precise nature, chiefly from the fact 
of the lump being moveable, and at the same time never entirely 
disappearing. From the description you give of the case, it 
strongly resembles the nervous affection of the human being called 
globus hystericus; and although I have never met with such a case, 
or, at any rate, one that has continued so long and occurred so 
frequently, it may still vbe such an affection, and depending upon 
some weakened condition of the stomach, producing flatulence and 
a spasmodic tendency to regurgitation, but checked by the natural 
action of the pharynx and its muscles. If such is the case, I should 
expect that the morbid condition of the stomach might be remedied 
by giving for a short time, daily, four drachms of sulphate of iron, 
one drachm of camphor, and two drachms of gentian, made into a 
ball with linseed meal and any simple syrup. 
It is, however, more probable that there is either a kind of 
stricture of the gullet about its entrance into the stomach, or a 
pouch or dilatation of some part of its course down the neck, of 
which I have seen examples ; and in such cases I fear a complete 
cure is not likely to be effected, although the disease may be con- 
siderably palliated. 
From the fact of his living upon green food, and from two cases 
I met with lately, in which the probang had to be used to force 
down the food which was causing the obstruction, and from the 
fact of one of them being choked only three weeks previously, 
and all having been fed upon grass, I think it would be advisable 
to put him upon hay. I would prefer old hay, if it is to be got 
conveniently, and it should be well sprinkled with salt and water 
before giving it to him or putting it into the rack. His oats or other 
food should in like manner be moistened with salt and water on 
all occasions before it is given to him, and, if he is a greedy feeder, 
it should be well spread in the manger, to prevent his getting too 
