CHRONIC OBSTRUCTION TO THE RESPIRATION. 67 
stable during the previous night. I found her standing as 
well on the affected leg (which was the off behind) as on the 
other, with the exception that the limb appeared to be bent 
outwards from the stifle. On attempting to move her, the 
leg was violently extended backwards, nor could she by any 
effort bring it again forwards, or alter its position. I at first 
thought that the patella was dislocated, but on manipulation 
of the limb I found that such was not the case. The muscles 
at the back of the thigh were quite rigid. The mare had 
knocked the skin off her head during the night, I suppose in 
her endeavours to get up. Her pulse was normal, and there 
was no swelling or heat of the limb, the leading symptoms 
being like those seen in dislocation of the patella, in so far as 
loss of action is concerned. I had her removed to a loose 
stall, which was effected with much difficulty. A brisk purge 
was administered, and the thigh and stifle well fomented with 
tepid water, and afterwards bathed with Lin.Camphor<e Comp, 
well rubbed in. On the following morning, strange to say, 
the mare was as sound as ever, and has remained so to this 
time. I consider this to have been a case of cramp of the 
posterior muscles of the thigh, and one very rarely seen in 
practice. 
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTION TO THE RESPIRATION. 
—TRACHEOTOMY. 
By the Same. 
In April last, I was sent for to attend a black cart horse, 
the property of Mr. M. Small, Shapwick, which had been 
the subject of influenza some time before. In consequence 
of being neglected, when suffering from this disease, he had 
become so bad a roarer that he could be heard for a very con- 
siderable distance. In fact, he was totally incapable of work, 
and almost of any exertion. I considered that it was hope- 
less to expect relief from anything save tracheotomy, which 
operation I advised the owner to have performed without 
further loss of time. This being acceded to, I inserted a 
tube of rather a larger size than is usually employed in these 
cases. On the following day the horse appeared so well that 
his owner put him to work, and he has continued working on 
the farm up to the present time. He is now very fat, has a 
beautiful skin, and performs the same amount of labour as 
the other horses. I should remark that, about a fortnight 
