692 OBSTRUCTION OF THE OESOPHAGUS BY A BONE. 
ing terribly. I examined him, and presently discovered the situ- 
ation of the bone. Its extremity nearest the stomach was just to 
be felt anterior to the first rib. I tried various manipulations to 
force it from its position, but in vain. I gave him 5 oz. of ol. lini, 
part of which he swallowed, and the remainder he cast up again, 
mixed with a quantity of bloody spume. I ordered him into an 
apartment where he could be alone. 
4 th . — The oil has operated. All solid food was forbidden, but 
let him have a little broth, which he took very sparingly. I 
fancy the dog to- day, in his attempts to cast up the bone, has 
displaced it a little. 
5th . — No fseces have passed. During the night I gave a little 
more oil, which was received and rejected as before. I then had 
the dog’s head held in a proper position, and with a probang tried 
to force the bone down into the stomach : in this attempt I was 
unsuccessful. 
6th . — The dog lay to-day quite unconscious of the voice of his 
keeper, and during the night has vomited a quantity of mucus 
and blood. Matters had now assumed a desperate appearance, 
and I told the Colonel there was no chance of saving the animal’s 
life but by making an incision through the integuments and mus- 
cles and into the oesophagus. He, however, wished me to try the 
probang once more before I had recourse to the operation : I 
accordingly made another attempt, but with as little success as 
before. 
The evening was now far advanced, and my employer wished 
that I would delay the operation until morning. 
7th . — The dog, as might be expected, is much worse this 
morning, and unable to hold up his head. I feared the parts 
contiguous would be in a state of gangrene, on account of the 
bone being in the oesophagus so great a length of time ; how- 
ever, as soon as I was able to see, 1 had him muzzled, laid on 
the right side, and properly secured, and had an attendant to 
press at the lower part of his neck opposite to the bone from 
below upwards; which caused the bone to assume a prominent 
position, and enabled me to perform the operation with greater 
facility. 
I found the oesophagus in a very putrid state, emitting a remark- 
ably offensive smell, and, surrounding the bone, there was also 
a large secretion of muco-purulent matter. After removing the 
bone I washed the parts with diluted brandy, and brought the 
edges of the oesophagus into actual contact by means of sutures, 
as well as the integuments, and dressed the external wound 
daily with tinct. myrrh co. The dog appeared faint immediately 
after I had finished the operation, and I gave him a little brandy 
