HERNL'E. 373 



sensitiveness over the abdomen ; but none of these symptoms in a ver}^ 

 severe form. Examination of the abdomen and rectum gave no 

 information. 



Treatment. — Administration of castor oil, hypodermic injection of 

 two milHgrammes of eserine, and warm water enemata. Dead next day. 



Autopsy. — A Httle reddish serosity in the peritoneum ; intense con- 

 gestion of a portion of the intestines. On isolating the convolutions it 

 was seen that a part of the intestine had passed into the thorax. 

 The upper margin of the diaphragm opposite the right pillar showed a 

 narrow tear, through which the hernia had occurred. On opening the 

 chest about fourteen inches of the last portion of the jejunum were 

 found. The gut was blackish in colour, its coats greatly thickened and 

 oedematous. The opening through which the intestine had passed was 

 oval in form, its greatest length being vertical. The fibrous condition 

 of the margins showed it to be of old standing. 



On auscultating the chest we might undoubtedly have noted bor- 

 borygmus, but the diagnosis would, nevertheless, have remained doubt- 

 ful, in view of the rarity of diaphragmatic hernia in the dog. 



83. Six-year-old bay mare, seen at midnight on the 2nd March, 

 1894. 



History. — Shortly before the first symptoms appeared the animal 

 had had " a severe twist round with the van." The attack commenced 

 at 3.30 p.m., and the mare reached home at 6 p.m. 



State on Examination. — Acute persistent pain, great excitement, free 

 perspiration. Pulse hard, small and frequent. Temperature 105° F. 

 Chloral and enemas were given freely. The animal continued violent, 

 rapidly became weaker, and died at 2.15 p.m. on March 3rd. 



Autopsy revealed a rupture one and a half inches long on the inner 

 border of the muscular portion of the right side of diaphragm, through 

 which several loops of the small intestine (ten or twelve feet from the 

 ileo-caecal valve) had passed. The pleura covering the anterior surface 

 of the diaphragm was separated, thickened, and enclosed the intestine 

 like a bag. The intestine could not be pulled back into the abdomen, 

 for it was strangulated. The loop was very full of dark-coloured blood. 

 The bag-like swelling in the chest was as large as two cocoa-nuts, was 

 tense, and attached by exudate to the right side of the chest. The 

 whole of the small intestine from the hernia to the stomach was greatly 

 dilated, and filled with sanious watery fluid. 



Mr. G. C. Lowe's case, Joum. Conip. Path, and Therap,, 1894, p. 75. 



84. A ten-year-old mare showed on post-mortem examination a rent 

 one inch in diameter about the middle of the muscular portion of the 

 diaphragm, through which a considerable portion of the gastro-colic 

 omentum had passed and become attached to the fifth rib of the right 

 side. The accident was of considerable standing, as the displaced 

 fragments were firmly ossified. During the four years previous to 

 death the animal had never shown a day's illness. The case proves 

 that rupture of the diaphragm is by no means necessarily fatal. 



Mr. H. D. Young's case, Veterinarian, 1894, p. 259. 



