442 
MALIGNANT SORE THROAT IN A HORSE. 
24th.—Pulse 66 ; breathing quickened; refuses all kinds of 
food ; drinks a little water or thin gruel. 
28th.—Pulse has gradually quickened and grown weaker 
in character, and the respiration is painfully performed, as if 
from an attack of acute laryngitis. He still refuses both food 
and drink. A strong blister was applied to the throat. 
29th.—Blister has taken effect, but there is no abatement in 
the severity of the symptoms. He could not take any food, 
and when he attempted to drink the fluid was immediately 
returned by the nostrils. 
30th.—Great prostration of strength. Respiration with 
difficulty performed. 
Tracheotomy was had recourse to, and was followed by the 
desired effect, in so far as giving relief to the respiration, but 
in no other way. From this period he could neither eat nor 
drink, nor could medicine be administered. 
31st.—No improvement. It was now clear (as I at once 
stated to the owner) that the case would terminate fatally. 
The symptoms continued to increase in severity, and the 
animal to become gradually weaker, until the 3rd of June, 
when death took place. 
Post-mortem examination .— Abdomen .—Stomach empty, but 
free from disease. The intestines contained no solid matter, 
but, like the stomach, were healthy. Liver pale, but healthy. 
Thorax .—The lungs partially hepatized, the near lobe espe¬ 
cially so. When cut into, a great number of tubercles were 
observed in the lungs, many of which contained pus. The 
heart was very soft and flabby. 
The tongue, pharynx, and larynx, were extensively diseased. 
These parts I send for your inspection. 
REMARKS BY PROFESSOR VARNELL. 
The disease in the horse’s throat alluded to in the pre¬ 
ceding communication was of a highly malignant character, 
and as far as medical skill was concerned, it had very little, 
if any, power 'over the rapidity of the progress it was 
making. Vitality seemed to have so far ebbed that, although 
air was admitted to the lungs by the aid of the operation of 
tracheotomy — disease having closed the glottis — yet no 
benefit was derived thereby, as the horse rapidly sank and 
died. That the case was one of acute inflammation of the 
fauces, involving in its ravages the adjacent organs and con¬ 
necting tissues, there cannot be a doubt. These parts, with 
the tongue, a portion of the trachea and larynx, were sent for 
