270 
THE EDINBURGH VETERINARY COLLEGE. 
for a time useless ; hence the swinging and dangling of the leg, 
as if paralyzed, when raised from the ground by the other muscles. 
When the leg was brought slowly forward, and placed on the 
ground, the horse could apparently stand upon it almost as firmly, 
to appearance, as if nothing had been the matter with it. He could 
also move backwards with ease. The treatment was simple, and 
chiefly consisted in the application of fomentations of warm water, 
until the pain was allayed. He is now getting regular exercise 
preparatory to being put to work, having almost recovered. 
The case of partial obstruction of the trachea occurred in a bay 
horse, that was brought here on the forenoon of March 23d, and, 
from the intense difficulty of breathing then existing, it seemed 
likely that tracheotomy would require to be performed. The man 
in care of the horse said that, when feeding in the morning on some 
dry provender, he suddenly stopped eating, and appeared, by the 
coughing that came on, to have got something in his windpipe. 
By the time he arrived here the cough had entirely subsided, and 
was followed by intense difficulty of breathing, which was most 
observable during inspiration, and was accompanied by a wheezing 
and loud roaring noise, with so much distress that a profuse per- 
spiration covered the body. The fauces, pharynx, epiglottis, and 
all parts posterior to the mouth, within reach of the hand, were 
examined, in order to ascertain whether any obstructing body was 
situated there; but as nothing could be detected, and as the cough 
had subsided, it seemed probable that the irritating substance had 
passed into the upper part of the trachea. Rather than have re- 
course to tracheotomy at once, and as the symptoms, although in- 
tense, did not forbid a trial of other means, at least for a short time, 
some of the students were directed to make him inhale the vapour 
of warm water, and apply fomentations to his throat. Although 
this was done for awhile without apparent benefit, still, as the 
symptoms did not increase in severity, the fomentations and fumi- 
gations were persevered in. Friction, with pressure to the throat 
from below upwards, was also occasionally applied. Acts of 
coughing were sometimes induced, and it was observed that miti- 
gation of the symptoms followed them. A little hay was laid on 
the ground before him, when, after lowering his head towards it, 
as if smelling for some time, he began to eat. A copious dis- 
charge of mucus, mixed with bran, soon after took place, and, in 
a short time, complete relief resulted. The recovery was so imme- 
diate, that the students having gone in to lecture, expecting to see 
the trachea opened on their return, found instead of this, the 
horse quite well. This case will shew that, in those instances 
where obstruction of the upper air-passages arises from or de- 
pends on temporary causes, tracheotomy should not be hastily re- 
