EDITORIAL. 
435 
indicates the dangers to which we are alluding, and the necessity 
and duty of bringing our influence to bear on so important a 
question as the propriety and impropriety of the operation. The 
extract, which we copy below, would excite interest as a curiosity 
in the minds of Dr. Fleming and Professor F. Smith, and must 
give rise to not a little distraction of mind among our friends: 
LARYNGOTOMY OF A HORSE.—A SIMILAR OPERATION TO EMPEROR FRIEDRICH SUC¬ 
CESSFULLY PERFORMED. 
\ 
Philadelphia, Dec. 7 (Special).—The Press to-day states that Dr. S. W. B. 
Werntz, the veterinary surgeon, of No. 4,527 Lancaster avenue, performed the 
operation of laryngotomy on the trotting horse King R., at his stables yesterday 
morning, assisted by Dr. S. Harger. The operation, which is similar to that 
performed on Emperor Freidrich I., is said to be the first one that has been per¬ 
formed on a horse in this State and probably the first in the country. Cases of 
this kind are exceedingly rare and in a great many instances prove fatal. 
The horse, which is owned by C. S. Vacey, is valued at $3,000, and has been 
suffering for weeks from what is technically known as “weazing.” While in 
this state the horse is able to breathe on only one side, and the symptoms ex¬ 
hibited are the same as those in the case of a human being. King R. contracted 
the disease from a previous sickness. The left side of the horse from the glands 
in front of the heart to the brain was paralyzed and prevented his breathing and 
from swallowing food or water. Yesterday at noon King R. was brought to the 
stables adjoining Dr. Werntz’s house. Dr. Cox and Dr. Tintsman were present 
and witnessed the operation, which lasted nearly an hour. 
The animal was cast on his back and his legs secured to the ground by 
means of big iion chains. After having the horse securely tied the larynx was 
laid open about two inches and an incision about two inches long was made 
directly over it and through the skin and muscles of the neck. A large quan¬ 
tity of pus and fat was accumulated at the edge of the larynx, which was re¬ 
moved. The thyroid ligament was cut through and an incision made in the cri¬ 
coid cartilage. 
After this was done the nerves controlling the larynx and muscles were put in 
place, and the left side of the larynx, which before the operation was useless, 
was found to be working properly, and the animal breathed easily through both 
sides of that organ. The incision in the neck was sewed up and the horse re¬ 
leased. After the wound was sufficiently tight to admit of food being passed 
through the mouth, a bucketful of feed and a pail of water were placed in front of 
him, and in a few minutes they were consumed, the horse seeming to undergo 
no pain while swallowing the food. About a half pint of blood was lost during 
the operation. 
After being placed in the stall the horse rested comfortably and was in bet¬ 
ter condition than before operated upon. Dr. Werntz believes the horse will get 
well. 
The National Patho-biological bill.— We print to-day the 
text of the bill to which we referred in onr last number, having 
