264 MR. MAYHEW ON PHYSIOLOGY OF THE HEART. 
Ol. Lini, Tinct. Opii, cum Spt. Nit. Ether ; gave him au 
injection, and left him. Having to see another patient, 
I left directions, if he should be alive in the morning, to let 
me know. About 6 a.m. I was agreeably surprised at seeing 
the boy from the Hall, to say the horse was alive, but that he 
would not eat, neither had he dunged ; although he did not 
seem in much pain, but stood up, with his head in the manger; 
and also, that he was much swollen underneath the belly. I 
immediately started, and found my patient much improved : 
pulse 96 ; extremities, &c. more comfortable, and apparently 
in little or no pain. I had him again well rubbed, &c. and 
horned some gruel and Ol. Lini into him ; raked him, and 
got some more hardened faeces from him ; gave another 
injection, and left him with good hopes of his recovery. I 
visited him the following day, and found him still further 
improved ; took a little bran, &c. and regulated his bowels 
with Ol. Lini, and a few simple powders ; after which he 
continued steadily to mend, although I had some trouble in 
the end to cause his belly to recover from the effects of the 
hot w r ater. 
If you think the above of any use in your Journal, it is at 
your service; at the same time I remain, 
Yours truly. 
April 14, 1854. 
REPLY TO MR. MAYHEW'S PAPER ON THE 
PHYSIOLOGY OF THE HEART; 
By Robert Dun, Edinburgh. 
In the last number of the Veterinarian I observed a paper 
by Mr. Mayhew, entitled c Some Thoughts concerning the 
accepted Physiology of the Heart. 5 In the progress of his 
thoughts, Mr. Mayhew puts forth certain opinions, which 
appear to be very much at variance with the present state of 
our anatomical and physiological knowledge. He doubts the 
muscularity of blood-vessels, although he has not used the 
microscope to satisfy himself that he is in the right. He 
considers that the ventricles are contracting all the time the 
auricles are dilating. He considers that the use of the 
auriculo-ventricular valves is, by means of the cordae tendi- 
neae, to give a sort of impulse to the walls of the ventricles, 
and thereby promote the expulsion of their contained blood. 
He considers that the semilunar valves are “floating mem- 
