EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN JOURNALS. 
31 
more rapid, and was weaker; and respiration was hurried, 
although the lungs were perfectly normal. The spasms and 
the accompanying symptoms had become exaggerated, and 
he continued steadily to grow worse, until the morning of 
the 31st, when he was relieved by pithing. 
At the post-mortem a portion of the oesophagus, extend¬ 
ing from the pharynx to the stomach, was removed and found 
to be diseased, being congested and softened throughout its 
entire length. At about the point where the oesophagus 
1 passes between the first and second ribs there was a dilata¬ 
tion of perhaps the size of two closed fists, which was not of 
} recent occurrence, but must have existed for a long time, the 
mucous coat, in fact, protruding for a length of some six 
inches through a laceration of the muscular covering, the 
fibres of which were irregularly but intimately adherent to 
the protruding portion of the membrane. Farther back, at 
i about the middle of the thoracic portion, the obstruction was 
' found in the form of a plug of impacted food, resembling a 
> large, elongated bolus, which filled the oesophageal tube for 
a space of at least two or two and a half inches. This was 
quite dry, and consisted of chewed hay, straw and oats. Pos¬ 
terior to the plug, the stricture was plainly discovered, the 
tube being contracted precisely as if ligated. Back of this 
the oesophagus was normal. Had this bolus been crushed or 
displaced, the animal might have made a temporary recovery. 
Some interesting questions are suggested by this case, 
these amongst them: “ Was the stricture due to the irritation 
caused by the plug, or did it exist before?” Whatever the 
j answer may be, would it justify the combination in suspected 
similar cases of internal anti-spasmodic prescriptions with the 
external local and surgical methods which constitute the gen¬ 
eral rules of the classical treatment of affections of this nature? 
EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN JOURNALS, 
— 
CAUTERIZATION IN ULCERATIVE KERATITIS. 
By M. P. Haan. 
No one possessing a familiar knowledge of this affection 
can be unaware of the serious nature of its usual symptoms, 
