INTESTINAL TYMPANY ij^ 



its adoption, giving minute instructions as to the seat of 

 the operation — in this case, the linea alba, four fingers' 

 breadth behind the navel — and suggesting the instru- 

 ments to be employed. Again, I find mention of it in an 

 old volume I have before me as I write, written by one 

 Leonard Mascall, in the time of good Queen Bess, and 

 published in 1600. These are the words : 



' For a horse that is swolne with much wind in his 

 body. Some horse with eating certaine windy meate or 

 such herbs, will be so swolne there with as though his 

 belly wold burst, and then he will eat no meat, but stand 

 and hang downe his head, ready to fall, and so die, if he 

 have not speedie help. When ye shall see any horse so, 

 the next remedy as I can learne, is : ye shall take a sharp- 

 pointed knife, or bodkin, and arme it so with some stay, 

 that it go ' not too deep, for piercing his guts. Then 

 strike him therewith through the skin into the body, 

 before the hollow place of his haunch bone, halfe a foote 

 beneath the backe bone, and the winde will come out 

 thereat. Then if ye put a hollow quill therein (or some 

 feather to keep it open awhile), the winde will voyd the 

 better and so heale againe . . . this hath bene prooved 

 the best remedie to save your horse or ox.' 



In 1656 mention is made of it by Markham, and in 

 1776 we find it practised forthe relief of intestinal tympany 

 by Roem of Dresden. The years 1781 and 1834 reveal 

 the operation as still in existence. 



Coming to more modern times, we find it revived in 

 this country by Stewart of Glasgow, in 1836, and meet 

 with reports of successful cases in 1S77 and 1879 by T. 

 H. Merrick of Northampton ; Alexander Harthill, Louis- 

 ville, Kentucky; and the lateCaptainRussellof Grantham. 

 As a matter of fact, I think I may say with safety that 

 it is only quite within recent years that enterocentesis 



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