FRACTURE OF THE TRACHEA. 
211 
morning of the 16th. Ordinarily, I am assured, her bowels 
do not respond to 5ix of aloes. Give thick gruel, and throw 
up astringent enemata. 
Evening . — The breath is rather unpleasant to the smell. 
There is a scanty nasal discharge of healthy looking mucus 
and the cough is more frequent. To allay thoracic irrita- 
tion, apply Acetum Cantharidis q. s. to the pectoral region. 
The patient takes water, and, now and then, a mouth- 
ful of hay or a few oats, but is afraid to swallow, even after 
prolonged mastication. 
19th. The animal is better. Pulse soft and distinct, 53 
in the minute. Respiration tranquil, 1 7 in the minute ; 
visible mucous membranes yellowish. Body comfortable. 
The faecal matter still soft, but the mouth is not offensive, 
and the nasal discharge continues, although scanty and 
healthy. Food and water are sparingly partaken of. Ad- 
minister gruel enemata. 
20th. — Patient still improving. Discontinue the fomen- 
tations. Apply Acetum Cantharidis q. s., and a bandage 
lightly, so as to support the skin. 
21st. — Pulse soft, and 60; respiration 16. The skin in 
front of the trachea is now pervious, and a little white matter 
escapes, similar in appearance to the nasal discharge. 
22d. — The opening in the skin is greatly extended, and 
presents a singular character. It is circular, and nearly two 
inches in diameter. There is a profuse discharge from it, 
of a muco-purulent fluid mingled with air, which escapes 
abundantly in a forced expiration, and in coughing particu- 
larly, when the whole volume of air, the discharge, &c., 
pass through the orifice. Two of the cartilages of the 
trachea can now be ascertained to be severed from each 
other, and from half to three fourths of their circumference. 
The organ is here buried about an inch by muscular tissue, 
and the wound of this latter mainly consists in a separation 
of the fasciculi. It is a vertical slit, and does not exactly 
correspond with the opening into the windpipe. 
The edges of the cartilage appear to be uninjured, and the 
divided rings, generally, are in apposition, but when in 
coughing, the head is depressed, they are apart, and the 
two openings accurately coincide. The muscle is covered 
with cherry-red granulations, and exercises a beneficial 
amount of pressure on the windpipe. 
Remove the hair from around the wound; cleanse and 
dress it with compound tincture of myrrh, and protect it 
with a piece of gauze lightly fastened around the neck. 
23d. The pulse is 56, respiration 18. Breath and mouth 
