584 MORBID CONCRETIONS. 



To these intestinal concretions may be added one found in a 

 scirrhus situated in the meso-colon (an organ connected with 

 the large intestines) of a mare, and examined by Lassaigne. It 

 was yellowish, greasy to the feel, had the odour of rancid oil, 

 and strongly stained blotting-paper. It was a mixture of albu- 

 men and a peculiar matter, consisting partly of cholesterin, and 

 partly of a white substance, crystallizing in needles, and redden- 

 ing vegetable blues. When this concretion was calcined it yield- 

 ed phosphate and carbonate of lime.* 



In the year 1827, I received from Dr Vallance of Strathaven 

 a very large intestinal calculus from a horse. When taken out 

 it weighed above four troy pounds, or very nearly five pounds and 

 a-half avoirdupois. It measured 20 inches round its greatest 

 circumference, and 18 inches round its lesser. When cut 

 through the centre, it exhibited a set of concentric layers of the 

 husk of oats, mixed with some straws and hay. These layers 

 were separated from each other by thinner white layers, consist- 

 ing chiefly of subsesquiphosphate of lime. In the centre of the 

 calculus there was a little piece of hard stone, which seems to 

 have served as a nucleus. 



This calculus had a specific gravity of 1-609. When dried 

 on the steam-bath, it lost 35*22 per cent, of its weight. A por- 

 tion thus dried being subjected to analysis was found composed 

 .as follows : 



Lost by ignition, . 40 '7 3 f 



Phosphate of lime, .. 41-01 



Carbonate of lime, . 0-41 



Carbonate of magnesia, . 5-28 



Carbonate of potash, . 2-32 



lEarthy insoluble matter, . 9*80 



99-55 



M. Girardin analyzed in 1840 an intestinal concretion from a 

 horse.:): The horse belonged to a miller, who lost five horses in 

 a short time, in all of which many intestinal concretions were 

 found. The horses were fed with bran ; and M. Lassaigne had 

 observed, that several asses which had been fed with bran had 



* Ann. de Chim. et de Phys. ix. 329- 



f This loss was occasioned by burning the oat beards and the hay and straw 

 visible in the calculus. 

 J Jour, de Pharm. xxvi. 420. 



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