408 
JUNIUS A. WATTLES. 
bandage may be removed carefully, without wetting it, and re¬ 
applied. You will observe that the most important part is to 
keep all wet applications away from the wound, and to not 
meddle with the dressing as long as the discharge does not 
wet through the bandage. In case of offensive odor, a small 
quantity of powdered permanganate of potash may be added 
to the powder. 
It seems to me that the use of the trocar and canula in 
gastric flatulence is entirely uncalled for, and many of us will 
be obliged to confess our inability to use such an instrument. 
The necessity for using such an instrument, or, rather, the 
condition for which it would be used, can be met by a piece 
of rubber tubing one-half an inch in diameter, and eight feet 
long. Stand facing the animal; wet the tubing ; pass it into 
the left nostril of the animal, keeping it against the septum 
nasi until the pharynx is reached ; then against the roof of the 
pharynx, and it easily passes down the oesophagus, into the 
stomach, allowing the gas to escape, and furnishing a means 
to pass medicine directly into the stomach, if desired. 
In cases of obstruction of any sort in the oesophagus, the 
same plan can be followed in passing the tubing. In obstruc¬ 
tion from dry material, as oats, bran, or chopped feed of any 
sort, pass the tube down to the obstruction and then pour 
large quantities of water or oil down the tube; this will float 
the dry material up, and it is either passed out through the 
tube, or through the opposite nostril. In cases of obstruction 
from such articles as potatoes, apples or turnips, pour down 
the tube either olive or linseed oil, containing a full dose of 
chloroform. The oil lubricates the substance and the parts, 
and the anaesthetic relaxes the muscle fibres, allowing the 
obstacle to pass down into the stomach. 
After the operation of oesophagotomy, food may be passed 
into the stomach until such time as the wound will permit 
the animal to take solid food, by using the same method. 
It is sometimes necessary to anaesthetize our equine 
patients when performing operations, and one of the simplest 
and best arrangements that can be made for the purpose con¬ 
sists of a tube or cylinder of cloth, about six inches in diam¬ 
eter and fourteen inches long, open at both ends and provided 
