322 
DYSPNOEA IN THE HORSE. 
than when it was in, I removed it a second time. Immediately 
after this he coughed, and forced about two tablespoonfuls 
of mucus through the aperture. This he did again once or 
twice, which appeared to relieve him considerably. Subse¬ 
quently his breathing became more and more tranquil, and 
convalescence ultimately took place. He continued to breathe 
through the aperture to a greater or less extent for seven 
or eight days. The opening soon closed up, and I cannot 
now perceive that he is a roarer in the slightest degree, 
notwithstanding I have put him to severe tests to deter¬ 
mine the point. 
Remarks. —My first impression was, that the horse had 
been a roarer previously to this attack, that the larynx 
was in a state of rigidity, and that the lining membrane of 
the organ had become the seat of severe inflammation, which 
had produced a thickened and swollen state of it to such a 
degree as to diminish the calibre of the air-passage. When, 
however, I gave him free entrance below r the larynx to the air, 
and contrary to every case I had operated upon before no im¬ 
mediate relief was afforded, then I wavered in my opinion, and 
felt disposed to view the case as some peculiar spasmodic 
affection of the transversalis muscle of the trachea and 
bronchial tubes. This opinion, I think, is favoured by 
the rapid attack, and the sudden departure of the dyspnoea 
after thirty-six hours of most distressing suffering. Can the 
symptoms be referred to acute larnygitis in the first instance, 
causing an accumulation of a quantity of mucus in the 
trachea, which, together with the escape of a small portion of 
blood into the tube from the operation, formed a partial me¬ 
chanical obstruction below the opening, and that coughing 
broke down the barrier? 
[In the year 1831 an analogous case to the above occurred 
in the practice of one of us, -which was regarded at the 
time as being one of partial paralysis of the muscles of the 
larynx. The patient was an aged cart-mare. She -was sud¬ 
denly attacked with difficulty of respiration, to such an extent 
as to threaten suffocation, and to render the immediate 
operation of tracheotomy necessary. A singular feature of 
the case was, that the respiration was better performed 
when the animal was recumbent. She experienced but 
little relief for about a week, after w 7 hich, however, she gradu¬ 
ally recovered. The treatment had recourse to -was similar 
to that adopted by Mr. Greaves.] 
