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INTESTINAL CALCULUS. 
INTESTINAL CALCULUS. 
By Samuel Davis, M.R.C.'V.S., Towcester. 
Sir, — I have ventured to send the following case of Intes- 
tinal Calculus, which, if you think it contains anything of 
interest, I have great pleasure in placing at your disposal : 
The subject of this case is a heavy black cart-horse, appa- 
rently ten or twelve years old, the property of Mr. W. Gal- 
lard, of Norton Mill, in whose possession he has been for a 
period of four or five years, during which time he has never 
been observed to suffer from illness of any kind, being a re- 
markably strong animal, and free-worker. 
Last night, he was turned out with the other horses, to all 
appearance perfectly well; this morning, Oct. 11th, he was 
found to be very ill; according to the carter’s account, 
tc quaking very much.” 
At 10 o’clock, a.m., I saw him, when the following symp- 
toms were evinced : Head drooping ; body bedew r ed with 
perspiration ; pulse quick and weak ; respiration accelerated; 
membranes pale ; mouth and extremities cold ; sense of vi- 
sion impaired. A draught containing Sp. Nit. Eth. and 
Sol. Aloes, &c., w r as given, and other treatment adopted ; but 
without any hope of its proving successful, as I expected 
that some internal rupture had taken place. 
12 o’clock. Patient restless; shifting of the hind legs; 
crouches, as though he would lie down, but has not done so 
since he w as first observed to be ill ; continually looking back 
at his flanks; moving his head to each side alternately. 
Symptoms expressive of dull and continuous pain, but no 
signs of acute suffering are manifest. He gradually sank, 
and died at 4 p.m. 
Post-mortem examination. — Three hours after, on opening 
the abdomen, a large quantity of fetid gas escaped. Faecal 
extravasation had taken place, plainly indicating that a rup- 
ture of some part of the alimentary canal had occurred; 
which was found to be the case in the posterior part of the 
colon, near to the commencement of the rectum ; the lesion 
having been caused by a calculus there, w hich had escaped 
into the abdominal cavity. Intense peritoneal inflammation 
existed ; no doubt from the irritation set up by the presence 
of the faecal matters escaped. 
The Calculus is about the size of a large cricket-ball; weighs 
exactly one pound avoirdupois; and is in shape nearly 
spherical, being arranged in layers or strata. Having acci- 
