446 PHLEBOLITKS. 



as they were, were, nevertheless, sufficient to point out this organ as the 

 principal seat of the affection. 



" ' The greatest change, however, in the organ, except its shape, is the 

 formation of an encysted tumour, which, by taking an external view of 

 it, appears to contain pus. My impression is, that had the animal lived 

 much longer, an abscess would have been formed in this situation, this 

 being the beginning of the process. On making a section of the en- 

 cysted tumour, however, I find that instead of its containing pus, 

 which one would naturally have expected, it is coagulated blood. This 

 is an interesting circumstance, and proves more clearly the correctness 

 of our opinion. There was haemorrhage from the liver, and blood has 

 been thrown into this cyst. The underneath part of this immense coa- 

 gulum of blood is likewise surrounded by a dense membrane, thus 

 forming a sacculated receptacle, into which blood was thrown. It is, 

 perhaps, interesting to inquire whether this peculiar state of the liver 

 was not referable to a morbid change going on in the blood-vessels, and 

 more particularly in the jugular vein. 



" ' You will remember, that, at the time the animal was exhibited 

 to you, lameness in the near fore-leg was present, and that very severe. 

 That was supposed to be attributable either to the condition of the 

 blood-vessels, or to some injury the animal had received. The examina- 

 tion of the leg shows that there was inflammation of the synovial mem- 

 brane of the fetlock joint, as well as inflammation of the lining membrane 

 of the mucous capsules, as they are called, but no local injury.' 



" Mr Morton stated that he had, as requested, analyzed a portion of 

 one of the phlebolites. 



" Its investing tunic, he found, was made up almost wholly of album- 

 ino-fibrin. A portion of its interior being boiled for some time in distilled 

 water, did not undergo any perceptible change whatever, nor did it 

 impart any sensible properties to the water. In a solution of caustic 

 potassa it became dark-coloured, but emitted no ammonia. Another 

 portion, about five grains, being placed on a piece of platinum foil and 

 subjected to the influence of heat by the aid of a blow-pipe, blackened, 

 and threw off copious exhalations having the odour of burning animal 

 matter. It then became white, and on being weighed was found to 

 have lost nearly one-half its weight. The residuum quickly dissolved 

 in dilute hydrochloric and with effervescence, and the gas eliminated 

 rendered lime-water turbid. The solution being filtered and rendered 

 nearly neutral, the oxalate of ammonia threw down from it an abundant 



