ASCITES. 429 



But in the mare we may have what is called 



Ovarian Dropsy : a state truly encysted at first, should 

 it turn out to be destitute of sac afterwards. In this you 

 may have in the latter stages symptoms of pain, as in 

 general ascites ; but the tumefaction of belly will not be 

 general or uniform, but confined to (or most prominent in) 

 the regions of the ovaries, on one side in particular or not, as 

 the enlargement proceeds from one or both of them. The 

 case following, though one unattested by name, extracted 

 from 'The Scottish Farmer,' appears to have been a diseased 

 and enlarged ovary. 



A black mare, ten years old, was observed to be unwell 

 for several days, when at length dropsy was suspected. She 

 was carefully examined for such. Along with febrile symp- 

 toms, her belly was found large, and there was fluctuation 

 perceptible on lateral pressure. Examination, 'per rectum, 

 discovered a large tumour " adherent to the internal wall of 

 the abdomen, in the left lumbar region, its upper border 

 being about as high as the points of the transverse spines of 

 the lumbar vertebrae ; whilst its lower, which was an irregular 

 outline, seemed to hang loose within the belly. The bulk of 

 the tumour occupying the region of the side, its anterior 

 edge could not be reached by the hand thus introduced ; 

 but the size was apparently about that of a human head, 

 while its structure seemed dense and compact, with a slight 

 pulsation here and there on its surface. The presence of 

 fluid was with certainty ascertained, by its resistance to the 

 hand, when introduced to the extent of the arm up the 

 rectum.'^ 



Post-mortem. — ^^ On opening the abdomen, about fifteen 

 or sixteen gallons of reddish liquid flowed out, having no ill 

 smell, nor any flaky matter in it." The tumour was covered 

 with a strong tissue of peritoneum : the irregular outline of 

 edge micntioned being found to be owing to a number of 

 small swellings adherent to it. The tumour, detached, weighed 

 351b., and consisted of two kinds of texture ; one of which, 

 the outer, was encephaloid, and gradually merged into ano- 

 ther, the inner, consisting of "reddish-grey fibrous matter, '' 



