264 RUPTURE OF THE DIAPHRAGM. 



Apperlej, in liis work 'Nimrod on the Condition of Hunters,' -whicli came 

 very near to the truth. ' When a horse is very much exhausted after a long 

 run with hounds, a noise will sometimes be heard to proceed from his 

 inside, which is often erroneously supposed to be the beating of his heart, 

 whereas it proceeds from the excessive motion of the abdominal muscles ' 



Mr. Castley shall pursue his case (it will be a most useful guide to the 

 treatment of these cases) : ' Finding that there was little pulsation to be 

 felt at the submaxillary artery, and judging from that circumstance that 

 any attempt to bleed at that time would be worse than useless, I ordered 

 stimulants to be given. We first administered three ounces of spirit of 

 nitric ether, in a bottle of warm water ; but this producing no good eflect, 

 we shortly afterwards gave tAVO drachms of the sub-carbonate of ammonia 

 in a ball, allowing the patient, at the same time, plenty of white water to 

 drink. Abovit a quarter of an hour after this, he broke out into a profuse 

 perspiration, which continued two hours, or more. The breathing became 

 more tranquil, but the convulsive motion of the diaphragm still continued 

 Avithout any abatement. After the sweating had ceased, the pulse became 

 more perceptible, and the action of the heart more distinct, and I considered 

 this to be the proper time to bleed. When about ten pounds had been ex- 

 tracted, I thought that the beating and the breatliing seemed to increase ; 

 the bleeding was stopped, and the patient littered up for the night. In the 

 morning, the affection of the diaphragm was much moderated, and about 

 eleven o'clock it ceased, after continuing eighteen or nineteen hours. A 

 little tonic medicine was afterwards administered, and the horse soon re- 

 covered his usual appetite and spirits.' 



Later surgeons administer, and with good effect, opiuna in small doses, 

 together with ammonia, or nitric ether, and have recourse to bleeding as 

 soon as any reaction is perceived. 



Over-f;itigue, of almost every kind, has produced spasm of the diaphragm, 

 and so has over-distension of the stomach with grass. 



RUPTURE OP THE DIAPHRAGM. 



This is an accident, or the consequence of disease, very lately brought 

 under the cognisance of the veterinary surgeon. The first communication 

 of its occurrence was from Mr. King, a friend of Mr. Percivall, in ' The 

 Veterinarian,' 1828. It occurred in a mare that had been ridden sharply 

 for half a dozen miles when she Avas full of grass. She soon afterwards 

 exhibited symptoms of broken-wind, and, at length, died suddenly, while 

 standing in the stable. The diaphragm was lacerated on the left side, 

 thi-ough its Avhole extent, throwing the two cavities into one. 



Since that period, from the increasing and very proper habit of examining 

 every dead horse, cases of this accident have rapidly multiplied. Mr. 

 Percivall states, in his ' Hippopathology,' that it may follow any act of 

 exti'aordinary exertion, and efforts of every kind, pai'ticularly on a full 

 stomach, or when the bowels are distended with green or other food likely 

 to generate gas. Considerable caution, however, should be exercised when 

 much gaseous fluid is present, for the boAvels may be distended, and forced 

 against the diaphragm to such a degree as to threaten to burst. 



An interesting case of rupture of the diaphragm was related by Professor 

 Spooner at one of the meetings of the Veterinary Medical Association. A 

 horse having been saddled and bridled for riding, Avas turned in his stall 

 and fastened by the bit-straps. Something frightened him — he reared, 

 broke the bit-strap, and fell backAvard. On the following morning he Avas 

 CAddently in great pain, kicking, heaAHing, and occasionally lying doAvn. 

 Mr. S. Avas sent for to examine him, but Avas not told of the event of the 

 preceding day. He considered it to be a case of enteritis, and treated it 



