editokial. 243 
It is still true, however, and it has been proven by the results 
of many post mortem examinations, that the diagnosis of chronic 
roaring which refers the symptoms to an affection of the larynx 
resulting from a diseased condition of the left laryngeal nerve, 
and hence of all the tissues through which it is distributed, will 
in a majority of cases prove to be correct. 
Gunther claims that out of one hundred roarers this lesion is 
present in ninety-six cases, though this is by many considered to 
be an exaggerated estimate. In view of the frequent occurrence 
of this disease, and with the knowledge w r e possess of the physi¬ 
ological and pathological phenomena with which we are familiar, 
viz., the paralysis of those laryngeal muscles, it is a somewhat 
surprising fact that the therapeutics of this affection should have 
been so nearly overlooked as has been the case until recently. In 
fact, with the exception of some accounts of Gunther, Jr., who 
some fifty years ago, we believe, cured roarers by the entire or 
partial removal of the arytenoid cartilage through the tracheal 
opening, or by the division or even the removal of one of the 
vocal cords, there is in veterinarv literature but little of value on 
the subject. 
Professor Frederick Smith has done well, then, in favoring 
the profession as he has done in his paper in the Veterinary 
Journal for July, with his views in relation to the various modes 
of operating for the relief of roaring, especially as, after all, there 
is much comparative simplicity in all of them, and, we believe, 
no difficulty of a very serious character to be encountered in any. 
These operations for the removal of the noise caused by laryngeal 
paralysis, as mentioned by Professor Smith, are four in number, 
and comprise: 1st. Excision of the left vocal cord; 2d. Partial 
excision of the arytenoid cartilage, together with the removal of 
the left vocal cord; 3d. Opening of the crico arytenoid articula¬ 
tion and production of anchylosis ; and 4th. Excision of the in¬ 
ferior face of the larynx, with removal of the muscles and portion 
of the cricoid cartilage, or permanent laryngo-tracheotoinv. The 
mode of entering the larynx is simple, but is not without its im¬ 
portance, since whatever may be the subsequent steps of the oper¬ 
ation, this opening of the larynx must answer for all. When the 
