46 
REPORTS OF CASES. 
wall, as well as the cervical muscles for two inches surrounding- 
the oesophagus and trachea was perfectly black from inflamma¬ 
tion. The stomach wall was inflamed, but the mucous mem¬ 
brane was still intact, but could be easily pulled away. Small 
bowels in nearly as bad state of inflammation as oesophagus, but 
large colon not so bad, the small colon normal. Kidneys and 
bladder were not inflamed as badly as would be expected, pos¬ 
sibly from the short duration of the disease. Other organs ap¬ 
parently normal. Brain and cord not examined. The blood 
vessels, both veins and arteries, were empty. Heart empty, ex¬ 
cept the right ventricle, which contained a clot resembling those 
found in acute rheumatism. This absence of blood I considered 
a strange condition. Flesh was light in color, as if the animal 
had been bled. Will some one please explain what became of 
the blood ? 
DISTRESSED BREATHING IN A COW.* 
By J. F. Butterfield, V. S., South Montrose, Pa. 
In April, 1891, I introduced a tracheotomy tube into the 
trachea of a two-year-old registered Jersey heifer, belonging to 
Mr. M. W. Palmer, of Kingsley, Susquehanna Co., Pa., to relieve 
the acute distressed breathing caused from internal and exter¬ 
nal swelling, in a case of laryngitis or pharyngitis. She wore 
the tube from Sunday until Friday, when it was taken out, the 
swelling having subsided and breathing was normal. The 
wound healed in due time. 
About two years ago, this same patient showed signs of dis¬ 
tressed or labored breathing. It continued and gradually grew 
worse until last July, when it was continuous ; could hear her 
several rods away. In fact, it was very distressing to hear her. 
-- Owner said I must remedy this in 
-- - ^ some way, so that it would be no 
^ ----—^ trouble to him. Upon examination 
I found the two tracheal rings that were cut to introduce the tra¬ 
cheotomy tube had flattened, nearly closing the trachea. To rem¬ 
edy this lesion I made a piece of No. 12 hard or spring silver wire 
into this shape or like a speculum. I cast the cow in the usual 
manner, opened the two flattened tracheal rings as in the first 
operation, six years before ; introduced the wire, and with a piece 
of soft silver wire fastened the upper end of speculum to one of the 
tracheal rings that had not been cut. Closed the wound with 
antiseptic dressings, etc. On the cow’s regaining her feet, she 
* Read before annual meeting Pennsylvania S. V. M. A., March 9, 1898. 
