339 
Fracture of one of the Dorsal Vertebra. 
By Mr. G, COOKE, V.S., Edwinstowe , Notts. 
A BROWN seven-year-old half-bred horse, used in agriculture 
and to run in a light chaise -cart, was, on the morning of the 22d of 
February led from the stable for the purpose of going to the black- 
smith to have his shoes removed. Before he was well out of the sta- 
ble, he was observed by his owner to stagger slightly in his gait. 
Thinking that he was not altogether right, he followed him. About 
fifty yards from the stable, he reared and fell on his side. As soon 
as he had recovered himself he was led back, and I was immedi- 
ately sent for. Being from home, it was five hours from the com- 
mencement of his attack before I saw him. 
Symptoms. — Standing — general twitching of the muscles — ■ 
breathing slightly accelerated — looking wildly — eyes staring and 
glassy — pulse full and quick — extremities cold — body moderately 
warm — mucous membranes pale. 
Treatment. — Venesection to syncope. Before I had finished 
closing the orifice, he again reared and fell on his rump into a cor- 
ner, where he knocked himself about very much. I expected that 
this second attack would kill him ; but he again rallied, arose, and 
appeared tranquil. I gave a powerful purgative, which was mo- 
derately repeated seven hours afterwards. I attended to his com- 
forts by clothing, bandages, & c. A bran mash diet only was or- 
dered. 
23 d . — No better. He takes an occasional mouthful of mash 
and of chilled water. Bowels not open, although he has voided 
his fseces several times. Repeat the purgative. Blister severely 
half way down both sides of the neck from the poll. Repeat the 
blister in the evening. 
24^A. — Excessively weak — pulse feeble — the blister has only 
very slightly acted. Repeat it. No appetite — occasionally sips 
of his water — he staggers more than when he was first attacked. 
Six o'clock, P.M. — Bowels open. Ten o'clock. — Very much worse. 
I prognosticated an unfavourable termination before morning: his 
owner thought otherwise. At half-past eleven o’clock his owner 
called me up : he now thought him much worse. I attended, and 
found him in a similar state to that in which I had left him an hour 
before. Give spt. eth. nit, Jjss, liq. am. acet. §v, tinct. opii §ss. 
I was with him until half-past three the next morning, when he 
dropped suddenly, struggled violently, and died. 
Post-mortem examination. — After removing the skin, which 
was perfectly whole, he never having had a wound of any kind, 
a hole was visible, immediately on the top of the withers, large 
enough for three of my fingers, which were passed down to the 
