CURE FOR "ROARERS."

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1331, 8 January 1912, Page 8

CURE FOR "ROARERS."

TREATMENT BY 01*131!ATION. Koarimj— not an uncommon defect in horses—was for a long time regarded as incurable, but of late what is known as Dr. Williams's operation lias had many advocates in England and America. A demonstration of this operation was recently given by I'rofossnr Hobday, under Hl3 auspices of the Western Counties' Veterinary Association of England. He explaineil that the object aimed at was to iind a remedy to cure that annoying cause of unsoundness, which was more especially in the light horses, racers, and hunters, "lioaring," next to lameness, was almost the greatest bairo of horseflesh, and the deterioration in value and usefulness was very great. To cure this complaint veterinary'surgeons lu<d devoted years of study. Various treatments had been tried, but none had properly succeeded hitherto without the aid of stlrgery. According to modern experimentation, a remedy was said to have at last been achieved, namely, that of removing the mucous membrane of the ventricle of the larynx on the side affected, causing tho vocal cord to adhere to the side. "Roaring" was supposed to he land veterinarians were generally agreed) caused bv paralysis of tile vocal cord, mainiy nu tiie left side. It would occur in both", due to defective nerve influence, owing ill some way to malnutrition of the nerve.

In tho demonstration, the horses selected were, a weight-carrying hunter, 1!) hands high, six years old, a "whistler"; and tho other an aged job horse, used for carriage work, a "roarer."'' The horses were prepared by careful feeding, fasting for about 12 hours previous lo tho operathin. A straw bed Having been provided, the animal is cast, the throat prepared externally with anaesthetics and antiseptic, the neck washed with hot water and soap, and (l.e portion of the throat on which the operation is to be performed shaved with n razor. Chloroform is then administered, and the animal placed on its back ready for the operation. Tho operation consists in making an incision into the muscles of the throat, which are dissected until (ho larynx is exposed. The ligament between the'cartilages is pierced and then cut through sufficiently to slkhv the internal view of tho larynx. Tho vocal cords show the one normal and the other paralysed, confirming the diagnosis at tho inferior portion; the nodule of the cord now showing superior is cut jilst at the point at the junction of the mucous membrane and the cartilage, and a small incision made with the point of the knife. This is enlarged with the blunt end, afterwards the finger is inserted, and with a slight pressure the whole of the lining membrane of the ventricle is removed. The result of this isthat the cartihwe will adhere to the side of the adjoining cartilage, b* kept back permanently in" that position, becomes incapable of falling'forward, the air in inspiration passes straight through into the lungs without meeting an obstacle, and no noise is produced. Afterwards the horse is allowed to recover from the.chloroform. No stitching of the open wound is required; it will heal of its.Mf in about three week*. The animals were subsequently placed in airy looseboxes, and within half an hour were feeding. The next morning they were ap. Jiarently all right, both looking comfortable. No swelling had taken place, and the breathing was calm and regular. The operations were neatly done by the professor, and occupied about 20 minutes for each horse, the actual operation on the larynx taking from three to four minutes.