MYSTERIOUS ABDOMINAL DISEASE. 
569 
MYSTERIOUS ABDOMINAL DISEASE. 
By R. H. Dyer, M.R.C.V.S. 
Sir, — The following being rather an unusual case, I have 
ventured to forward it for your perusal. 
A six-years-old bay pony, 10 \ hands high, the property of 
a gentleman residing here, arrived in this country from the 
neighbourhood of London a few weeks since, apparently in 
good health. It was in great condition, being very fat, and 
was driven in harness several times, and did his work re- 
markably well. About the 1st of August he was shod, after 
which he continued to travel well. In a week after he was 
observed to go lame in the left fore leg, which I was requested 
to examine ; this I did, but could not detect anything to lead 
me to discover the cause of lameness. I recommended hot 
fomentations and rest for a few days, thinking that something 
definite would be arrived at in the course of that time, or that 
the lameness would pass off. 
As the groom was walking the pony towards its stable, it 
became suddenly ill with colicky pains. In half an hour I saw 
him ; the symptoms present were those of antispasmodic 
colic, for w hich 1 administered the usual formula, with success. 
The pain left him, and with it the lameness. The next day 
1 gave a dose of physic, consisting of £iij of Aloes, which in 
due course had the desired effect. On the day following 
there w r as an absence of lameness, and this condition con- 
tinued up to the 1 1th, w hen at 9a.m.hew 7 as brought to me, lame 
in the off fore leg. The pain he was suffering was very great, 
a fact that led me to examine more minutely into the state of 
the body, on which I became impressed w ith the idea that 
the liver was affected, the membranes being of a yellowish 
hue ; at the same time there w r as present more disease in the 
abdominal cavity than I could w r ell account for; but to state 
with precision what, organ w 7 as the seat of disease was next to im- 
possible, for it seemed that every part of the frame was more 
or less attacked. My diagnosis therefore w 7 as vague. I em- 
ployed sedatives, antispasmodics, and other remedies without 
effect. The perspiration was intensely cold ; it required full 
tw r o hours’ handrubbing by two men to promote warmth in 
the skin. The effect, however, w as at length produced, and 
a remission of symptoms the result; though it lasted but a 
short time, when the pain and suffering became more fearful 
than ever. The pulse ranged to 60 and 80 beats per minute ; 
XXVI. 74 
