256 SINGULAR CASE OF SUFFOCATION IN A HORSE. 
perceptible — the coat staring — no appetite, and very defective 
respiration. 
By the mingling and alternation of febrifuge and tonic medi- 
cines these symptoms gradually disappeared, and the horse re- 
turned to his work in the threshing machine. Not being able, how- 
ever, to do his full share of the labour, he was taken again from the 
machine, and no labour exacted from him. Two days afterwards 
I was sent for in great haste, the messenger telling me that he 
was swollen all over. On my arrival I found this to be the case. 
I did not hesitate to express my surprise and regret that he should 
have been so soon put to work. The owner replied, that, so many 
of his horses were labouring under the same complaint, he was 
compelled to put some of them to work, and this one seeming to 
be the most recovered and in the best spirits, the lot fell upon him. 
I do assure you that I was surprised and grieved to find him 
in such a condition, and so soon after he had been dismissed from 
the hospital as perfectly recovered. The oedema was so great in 
all four extremities that the poor creature could scarcely move, 
and when he attempted it, he was ready to fall every moment. 
All this, however, yielded to treatment, and in about ten days 
he was again apparently convalescent. This was on Monday 
the 14th of February. 
On the two following days his appetite was good, and I 
thought that all danger was past I was considerably engaged 
on the 17th and I8th, but on the 19th I determined that I would 
go and see my old patient. 
As I entered the yard, I met Mr. Beard jun. “ Ah, neighbour,” 
said he, “here’s a bad job — it is all up with the poor horse ; he is 
all but dead.” I hastily entered the stable, and found the intelli- 
gence too true. 
I could not help saying, that “ I was surprised that they had 
not sent to me.” “ Why, it was impossible,” was the reply, “ to let 
you know before we knew any thing about it ourselves. All this 
commenced not an hour ago, and we thought it useless to send 
for you, for he would be dead enough long before you could arrive.” 
He was labouring under suffocation, and was, apparently, at his 
last gasp. He would have died had I not have luckily dropped 
in at the critical moment. 
I had immediate recourse to tracheotomy. I dissected away 
the integument and muscle — excised a portion of the trachea, 
about an inch square, and inserted the tracheotomy tube, which 
I always carry with me. The horse immediately jumped up, and, 
to the astonishment of those around, breathed with comparative 
ease. 
In the interval between the 16th and 19th the submaxillary 
