41 
STRICTURE OF THE RECTUM, &c. IN A MARE. 
the sciences of medicine and surgery go hand in hand, and that 
person will make the best surgeon and physician who possesses a 
knowledge of both. 
I strongly recommend pupils to take notes of cases. I do not 
think anatomy and surgery can be learnt from books alone. Study, 
along with them, “the Book of Nature the time for much read- 
ing is after you have left the hospital, when your mind is stored 
with many observations. The best work on anatomy, I think, is 
Fife’s. There is also a good work published by Messrs. John 
and Charles Bell. The London Dissector 1 recommend. Such 
authors as have taken to write on particular parts of surgery are 
the safest guides. Mr. Hunter’s work on the venereal disease is 
a standard. Mr. Samuel Cooper has published an excellent epi- 
tome of surgery. With all these, however, I strongly recommend 
my pupils to pay their court to NATURE. 
STRICTURE OF THE RECTUM, CONSTIPATION, COLIC, 
MELANOSIS, MEGRIMS IN A MARE. 
By W. Percivall, M.R.C.S. and VS. 
This five-headed case of which I am about to render an account, 
I am induced to believe will be found to possess in several re- 
spects more than ordinary interest. The subject, a grey mare in 
her fifteenth year, was attacked on the 14th of the present month, 
November, at eight o’clock, P.M., with symptoms of “ gripes.” 
She had been littered down for the night, but was no sooner re- 
leased from the confinement of her rack-chain, than she lay down 
and commenced rolling over in her stall. She was at once re- 
moved into a box, where she continued to manifest some un- 
easiness, but not of a character to excite any alarm. She had an 
antispasmodic ball given her, and, on account of her having passed 
but a single knob of dung, this was followed by the adminis- 
tration of a simple enema; after which she was walked out for a 
quarter of an hour. At ten o’clock, P.M. her disquietude had in- 
creased. She was now seen to stamp and strike her belly with 
her hind feet, and otherwise express occasional sharp (griping) 
pains ; her pulse was quick and thready ; her mouth cold and 
dry; her legs extremely cold. She had an antispasmodic cathartic 
drink* administered and another simple enema, and had her belly 
and legs well rubbed, and the latter flannel bandaged. 
* Containing aloes Barbad. Jiss ; tine, opii, spir. aeth. nit. aa ^ij* 
VOL. XVII. F 
