[167] 



On Dissection of a horse ^ whose death was occasioned by 

 the perforation of the Aorta by worms. By Richard 

 Harlan^ M. Z). 



Philadelphia, March 2Sth, 1822. 

 Gentlemen, 



I THIS day received through the politeness of my 

 friend R. Haines, of Germantown, the body of a colt 

 one year old, which died suddenly on the morning of the 

 24th inst. 



I proceeded immediately to the dissection, assisted by 

 Dr. Lawrence. We first examined the brain, which we 

 found healthy ; though there was serous effusion withia 

 the sheath of the Medulla Spinalis. 



On opening the abdomen, we were surprised by the 

 effusion, of at least, two buckets full of fluid black blood: 

 this excited my attention, as I had before met with a si- 

 milar case, where the cause of the mischief had not been 

 investigated. 



Continuing the dissection, we came to an immense 

 tumour, lying over the right kidney, occupying the whole 

 of the right lumbar and iliac regions, and which was 

 filled with grumous, coagulated blood. On removing this, 

 we found the sack confusedly connected to the mesen- 

 tery, the aorta, and surrounding parts. We next dissect- 

 ed away the aorta abdominalis, above and below the sack, 

 and on opening the artery, we observed the internal coat 

 near that portion, which gives off the mesenteric artery, 

 much diseased, and considerably enlarged ;— the supe- 

 rior mesenteric artery was particularly enlarged ; the in- 

 ternal coat, both of the mesenteric and of the aorta, fiDr 

 several inches being nearly destroyed, and of a black 

 colour. On examining more minutely the portion of the 

 aorta below the tumour, we discovered the cause of the 



