RUPTURE OF THE STOMACH. 271 



mucous coat mucli thickened^ and containing '' sundry pints 

 of white matter," emitting an offensive smell. 



Mr. WooDGERj V.S._, London^ relates an instance in 

 'The Veterinarian^ (vol. xii, p. 621)^ of intestinal calculus 

 being indirectly the occasion of rupture of the stomach. The 

 mare was attacked with gripes on the 12th of April. She 

 was relieved; but had a relapse on the 14th, when she 

 voided a calculus measuring 4 inches by 3. On the 17th, 

 she experienced another relapse, of which she died. The 

 stomach was found ruptured. Mr. Woodger remarks, '' that 

 the cause of the first attack arose from the passage of the 

 calculus voided on the 14th \^ and that the second was owing 

 " to the stone left behind ; had which been smooth, like the 

 former, death might not have followed. It v^as the rough- 

 ness of its sides, from portions having separated, that offered 

 such an obstacle to its passage; and, from the violent 

 manner in which she fell and plunged about, the stomach, 

 probably being quite full at the time, gave way." 



A PATHOGNOMONIC Symptom of rupturc in the alimentary 

 canal is, according to Dupuy, the feeling, under the fingers, 

 of repetition of convulsive movements — tremors — in the in- 

 ferior coccygeal muscles. " Observation," adds D^Arboval, 

 '^ must decide upon the value of this sign." Also, says the 

 latter, but little confidence can be placed in any pathogno- 

 monic founded upon ^^ particular attitude" or mode of ex- 

 pressing suffering. An occasional symptom of ruptured 

 stomach is vomiting ; and when present it may be said to be 

 2)athognoi7ionic. It would appear to happen during the 

 violent contractions of the stomach to relieve itself of dis- 

 tension ; and be subsequent to, or perhaps synchronous 

 with, the rupturing. Crouching with the hind limbs was 

 observed in a case by Mr. Haycock. By some, sitting upon 

 the haunches has been regarded as indicative of this or 

 similar lesion. 



Diagnostic — From the circumstance of the extrava- 

 sated matters having, in some cases, found their way into 

 the sheath of the horse, it has become a question with 

 Dupuy, whether the case might not be mistaken for one of 



