Cattle 1853 - Lewis Family Farm

CATTLE.
imagined. The intruding substance will be dislodged from {he situa-
tion in which it was impacted, and will be brought to the upper part
of the oesophagus, or even into the pharynx, and will then be some-
times got rid of by the efforts of the beast itself, or may be easily
drawn out by means of a hand introduced through the large mouthpiece
to which reference was made in the explanation of the oesophagus-tube.
If the obstructing body cannot be moved in this way, we are not
yet without resource. Mr. Bead has made an important improvement
on, or addition to, the oesophagus-tube, in the form of a cortscrew.
Vide fig. 3, in the preceding cut.
a. The leather tube, as before, but somewhat larger, and longer,
and stronger ; and the upper part of it, for, the purpose of additional
strength, composed of brass.
b. The handle of the stilett, which runs through it, as through the
other tube. i
c. One of twt> pieces of wood placed between the handle and the
tube ; hollowed so as to fit the stilett ; removable in a moment, and,
like the hollow piece of wood in the other tube, permitting the stilett
to be two or three inches longer than the tube. They are here
removed, and one of them hangs down, suspended by a string.
d. The bulb which is introduced through the mouth-piece, and
forced down the gullet. It is considerably larger than those at the
ends of the other tube, but not so large as the distended gullet.
e. A corkscrew fixed to the end of the stilett, and which, coming
out in the centre of the knob, cannot possibly wound the gullet.
When this instrument is used, the stilett is pulled up so that the
screw is perfectly retracted and concealed within the knob. The
pieces of wood, c, are placed upon the stilett, between the handle
and the top of the tube, and tied there, so that the screw is now fixed
within the knob ; and the instrument is introduced through the
mouth-piece, and forced down the throat until it reaches the obstruction.
The pieces of wood are then untied, and, by turning the handle,
the screw is worked into the obstructing body, as the common
corkscrew is into a cork in the neck of a bottle. If the potato or
furnip be fresh and sound, it would hardly be credited what purchase
is obtained, and in how many instances the nuisance may be drawn
up the throat and got rid of. If the centre of the root should give
way, and a portion of it only be brought out, there is still some good
done, and the screw should be returned again and again, until it will
no longer take hold. By this time, probably, the root will have been
so weakened and broken down that it will yield to the pressure of the
first probang, and be forced along into the rumen ; or at least it will
be so weakened, that the stilett of the first tube may be used with
advantage.
The stilett must be withdran from the tube, and the running, piece