PARALYSIS OF THE PHARYNX AND (ESOPHAGUS. 
177 
paralysis as on structural changes or the presence of foreign bodies. - <> 
strict division or sufficient points of distinction can be made between 
paralysis of the pharynx and (esophagus. Conditions viewed as paralysis 
of the oesophagus must sometimes be referred to the pharynx. Whethei 
paralysis of the muscles of the pharnyx, especially of the constrictors, can 
produce difficulty in swallowing, and of what particular torm, is not a 
present known. In serious diseases, especially in brain disorders and 
rabies, as well as towards the end of life, innervation of deglutition often 
suffers, and food consequently remains fixed m the oesophagus. Hence 
post-mortem examination of horses often discovers accumulation of food 
in the oesophagus, without any apparent obstruction in the lumen of the 
tube ; but these cases have no further clinical interest. 
Moller treated a horse which showed difficulty in swallowing for a long 
time ' no cause could be discovered, no other morbid systems were present- 
even on post-mortem nothing abnormal could be detected. In anothei home 
recovery P from a laryngeal injury was followed by difficulty m swallowing, and 
though food was chewed as usual, no attempt was made to swallow it, but the 
horse allowed it to fall from the mouth again. The tongue appeared normal, 
both in appearance and function. It, therefore, seems probable that paralysis 
of the pharynx existed, though the strict proof was wanting. We have seen 
similar difficulty in deglutition several times after resection of the arytenoid 
cartilage • in one case caused by great increase in the connective tissue about 
the larynx and pharynx ; in another case the symptoms completely disappeared 
after some weeks. Possibly this case depended on inflammatory swelling in the 
nharvnx though the animal showed no other disturbance. Dieckei ho saw < 
similar case in a horse. That inability to swallow may be caused by impaction 
in the oesophagus appears evident from Puschmann’s record of a horse whic 
had the tube packed tightly with hay 2 inches from the cardiac orifice. The 
cases described by Cadhac and others as oesophageal cramp may probably be 
referred either to impaction of the oesophagus or other hindrance to the passage 
of food fdiverticulum, stenosis). Complete blocking of the oesophagus natuially 
prevents the possibility of swallowing. This is easily explained if one adopts 
Kronecker and Meltzer’s view, that food is injected immediately into the 
St< K6hne^saw shTotherwise healthy horses which appeared unable to swallow, 
and in consluence very rapidly fell away in condition; they showed some 
mdema under the chest. The autopsy revealed nothing of a positive character 
Stietenroth saw some similar cases; the pupils of the eyes were markedly 
btietenroin saw so wag loss gensatl0n over a i mos t the 
dilated, and at a » condition which Stietenroth interpreted as point- 
whoie surface,of the.3 a ““^ew seemed to be supported by the fact 
That ?he ffisease attacked two horses in the same stable within a short interval. 
Schmidt has indicated the possible occurrence of one-sided paralysis of 
the pharynx and (esophagus. An old mare had a left-sided nasa dis¬ 
charge ; the left nostril was filled with food, and on drinking, a great part 
of the water flowed back through the nose. She soon died, and examina¬ 
tion showed the left superior maxillary sinus filled with food, mechanical 
pneumonia existed, and the left half of the soft palate was atrophied 
v.s. 
