452 
ON THE CHOKING OF CATTLE. 
The fourth and last consequence to which I shall advert is one 
of more uniform occurrence than any of the fore-mentioned — one, in 
fact, which will always occur from the presence of foreign matter 
in the air-passages, provided the patient is not carried off by the 
more sudden termination of asphyxia or syncope. It is inflamma- 
tion of the mucous lining of the air-passages, it may be of the 
larynx, l the trachea, or the ramifications^of the bronchial tubes, 
accompanied by congestion of the pulmonary tissue itself. In four 
of the cases I have narrated, this appeared to be the simple un- 
complicated result ; while in the other two it was accompanied with 
emphysema. 
The treatment of the simple inflammatory affection seems appa- 
rently plain, being the ordinary means for subduing such, namely, 
bleeding, sedative medicines, and counter irritation. In as far, 
however, as experience leads me to form an opinion, I would say 
that in most cases bleeding is but of very doubtful propriety, unless 
the inflammatory action run very high, and the patient be strong 
and vigorous. My objections to blood-letting in this case are, first, 
that the inflammation being the result of an accident, and not a 
consequence of any previous plethoric state calling for depletion, 
the animal is, consequently, less able to bear it ; and, second, that 
when a large amount of blood has been withdrawn, there is greater 
difficulty in establishing the full and free expectoration which is 
needful to carry off from the air-passages the fluids secreted into 
them. I therefore consider it safer treatment to control the febrile 
action by sedative medicines, and even this not to be carried too 
far — to be, in fact, immediately changed for a tonic system as scon 
as free expectoration is established. It is, however, to external 
counter-irritation that I am most inclined to trust for relieving the 
bronchial inflammation arising from this case. In every case where 
I saw it fairly tried it had the happiest effects, the animal seem- 
ingly being relieved in its respiration as soon as the action of the 
blister was fully developed. In Cases I, III, and Y, this was 
well shewn, and I have no doubt would have been equally so in 
the three longest lived cases at S , had the wrong-headedness 
of the farm manager allowed it to be adopted. Along with external 
irritation I would advise steaming of the air-passages by means of 
any kind of hot moist substance placed below the nose or hung 
upon the head : this has often a powerful effect in promoting a free 
secretion from the mucous membrane. 
The above effects resulting from the improper administration of 
medicine, especially the three first-named, viz. asphyxia, syncope, 
and emphysema, I have endeavoured to point out the more plainly, 
because I do not recollect to have seen either of them mentioned 
by any of our veterinary authorities as occurring from such a 
