248 
RUPTURE OF THE STOMACH. 
ance of the pains and the obstinate constipation, I had little 
or no hopes of a favorable result. 
Nine,p.m. — Pulse rising in number, but sinking in force ; 
legs and ears cold ; gradually, the animal heat of the whole 
body subsiding, cold froth issued from his mouth ; his pulse 
became indistinct ; he stood perfectly quiet as life ebbed 
away, and fell dead, almost without a struggle, a little after 
midnight. 
Autopsy. — On opening the abdomen, I observed exten- 
sive adhesions of part of the coecum and ascending portion 
of the colon to the peritoneum (but not the result of recent 
inflammation). The cavity of the abdomen full of fluid faecal 
matter. While carefully searching for the rupture, I observed 
some slight traces of inflammation on the transverse colon, 
and the mesenteric arteries and veins beautifully injected. 
On removing the intestines, I perceived the stomach col- 
lapsed, lying flat upon the liver, and smothered in a mass of 
half-digested aliment. The fissure w 7 as about three inches 
long, and was in the large curvature, inclining towards the 
spleen, which organ was not larger than that of a calf. The 
interior of the stomach was as clean as if it had been washed; 
there was not a particle of food within it ; the rugce of its 
mucous coat were very large and prominent. The scissure 
in the peritoneal coat was longer than that of the muscu- 
lar, forming an elliptical opening, and showing the lacera- 
tion of the muscular fibre very distinctly. The mucous coat, 
I fancied , showed very faint symptoms of gastritis : it was of 
a higher colour than is usual in health The large and the 
small intestines contained a considerable quantity of fluid 
excrement, but there was no manifestation of disease in them. 
Liver, lungs, heart, bladder, kidneys, &c., all healthy. He 
was amazingly fat. 
Observations. — I conclude, it was principally an attack 
of spasmodic colic, from suppressed digestion (the horse vras 
a great feeder), and that the rupture was caused by galloping 
him on the Sunday, after being watered ; and that after the 
stomach had been emptied into the folds of the omentum, 
it had acted as a valve, stopping the breach, and diminishing 
the pain that any ingesta might cause, by escaping ; hence, 
the animal instinct of refusing all food. The reason why 
there was no vomition, was simply because there w as nothing 
to vomit. 
Hoping I have not trespassed too much on your valuable 
time and space, I am, dear Sir, &c. 
Infirmary, Nile Street, Cork; 
April 5 , 1853 . 
