CALCULI IN THE BLADDER. 195 



distinctly felt a firm, roimdisli substance at the neck of the Llad- 

 dei', which was empty, and firmly contracted upon it. The 

 symptoms were rather increased ; and on a subsequent day I 

 renewed the examination, when the bladder was nearly full, and 

 I could move the stone very readily. 



" On the 26th, the animal appeared to be in a favourable state 

 foi' the operation of lithotomj^, which was performed by securino- 

 him upon his back, with the hind legs drawn forwards to the 

 shoulders. The penis being drawn out, a three foot whalebone 

 staff was introduced as far as the perineum, and the urethra 

 opened by an incision about three inches in length ; a grooved 

 sound was then passed straight into the bladder, and the stone 

 was most distinctly felt, and heard on being struck. It was 

 attempted to be extricated without cutting open the pelvic por- 

 tion of the urethra and neck of the bladder, being readily 

 grasped with the forceps, assisted by pressure made upon the 

 calculus by the left hand introduced into the rectum ; but being 

 too large these parts were laid open by a lateral incision made 

 with a sti'ong, curved, and probe-pointed bistouiy. It was then, 

 by the same means, but with considei'able force, bi'ought 

 gradually forward to the perineum, Avhcn it was forcibly con- 

 tracted upon, and a further extension of the external incision 

 was necessarily made to effect its removal. The haemorrhage 

 was not very great or alarming, but it ^vas thought best to secure 

 a perineal vessel with a ligature. 



" The calculus is of the mulberry kind, very rough, of a de- 

 pressed oval form, weighing nearly three ounces : it has no 

 distinct nucleus. Dr. Prout, having obligingly undertaken to 

 analyse it, found it composed principally of the carbonate of 

 lime, some phosphate of lime, and a little phosphate of magnesia. 



" The horse, iannediately after the operation, became tranquil 

 and cheerful, and the pulse fell by evening to the healthy 

 standard, to 32 per minute, and so continued until noon, the 

 following day, when, being rather agitated by numerous visiters, 

 it rose to 38, and by night to 45. Four quarts of blood were 

 taken from the jugular vein, a mild purgative given, and 

 frequent clysters. 



" Feb. 28. — Pulse 40; in the evening, 44; bowels relaxed. 



" March 1. — Pulse 44 ; purgative and clysters repeated. 



" March 2. — Pulse 42 ; and so continued until the 8th, when 

 it declined to 38, and subsequently to 32, at which it continued 

 this day (the 18th), three weeks since the operation; the bowels 

 having been kept open by aperient doses of aloes and by clys- 

 ters. The urine was evacuated partly by the orifice until this 

 time ; but the wovmd is now healed, and it flows through the 

 whole length of the urethra without the least impediment. The 

 horse is exercised daily, and is fit to be discharged." — Ed.] 



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