184 
EMBOLISM OF ILIAC ARTERIES. 
having seen two analogous cases; in the one a hind, in the 
other a fore extremity being affected. Both he and I suc- 
cessively explored, through the medium of the rectum, the 
termination of the posterior aorta, and also the iliac arteries. 
That part of the posterior aorta within reach possessed no 
tangible indications of disease; the right external and the 
left internal iliac arteries, however, from their origin so far 
as they could be manipulated, were, according to the testi- 
mony of our sense of touch, choked with solid matter, being 
hard, pulseless, motionless cords, painless on pressure. The 
right internal and the left external iliac arteries pulsated, but, 
even in them, the pulsation was of a jarring or thrilling 
character. The plantar arteries of the hind legs were large, 
rigid, and pulseless ; the outer plantar arteries of the fore 
legs having the same characters, the inner ones, however, 
being smaller in volume, and pulsating. The inner plantar 
vein of the off fore leg was absent, or, at least, closed to the 
passage of blood. The mare had perfect control over her 
rectum and bladder, and exquisite sensibility of the extre- 
mities. 
On the morning of the 25th the patient was on her legs ; 
she had taken a little food and water during the night; the 
pulse was more frequent, 96, but it was smaller, and not so 
resisting ; there were still a weakness and a continual shift- 
ing of the hind legs, which were not so cold as yesterday, but 
even now there was a coolness about them. The morbid 
blood-vessels were found in the same condition. 
On the. 26th the mare was lively, had a good appetite, had 
gained strength, moved quickly around the box, and to an 
ordinary observer appeared in perfect health. No change 
was observable in the state of the arteries. 
On the 28th the mare moved lightly and cleverly out of 
the stable, flexing her limbs as she used to do, and carrying 
herself with an air of gaiety ; but having been trotted a hun- 
dred yards or so, a want of power of the hind legs became 
obvious; they were imperfectly flexed, their action being 
slow and of a dragging character, and before she had gone 
two hundred yards the symptoms observed on the 24th again 
recurred; but as the exertion was not further continued, 
they were of shorter duration, and on the following day they 
had entirely disappeared. 
From the extent of the embolic condition of the arteries, 
and from experience in previous cases, my father gave an 
unfavorable prognosis. Upon this Mr. Milner wished to 
have the opinion of Mr. Marriott, who had recently attended 
the mare. Accordingly, on the 2nd J une, my father and I 
