458 
DISEASES OF THE INTESTINAL TUBE. 
arise. The danger of wounds penetrating into the intestines of 
animals, and particularly herbivorous animals, has been strangely 
exaggerated. The cases that we have had the opportunity of ob- 
serving have proved to us that perforations of the intestine are not 
necessarily mortal, unless an effusion of the stercoral matter has 
taken place. 
Case I . — Rupture of the Rectum. 
A small draft horse, aged, was brought to the hospital, suffering 
under indigestion, caused by clover. For twenty-four hours he 
suffered great pain, and was very much blown. The groom had 
administered several clysters, but the meteorization that was so 
evident in the rectum did not appear to him to be an obstacle 
difficult to vanquish. He introduced the syrine too violently, and 
threw up a great quantity of fluid without displacing the instrument. 
When brought to us he was in a most alarming state — he walked 
with difficulty, evidently suffered when he stood up — his limbs 
were all drawn towards the centre of gravity ; red blood flowed 
continually from the rectum and along the extremities ; the respira- 
tion was small and hurried — the pulse quick, and scarcely percep- 
tible — the conjunctivae injected — the eyes prominent, and the pupils 
dilated — the ears and extremities cold, and the body covered with 
abundant perspiration. It was easy to perceive that there was an 
internal haemorrhage ; and on introducing the arm, a rupture of 
the lower intestines was perceptible. It was useless to attempt 
any kind of treatment, and the animal died a few hours afterwards. 
On post-mortem examination we perceived a rupture of the 
rectum, near to its origin, about a decimetre in length, and in a 
longitudinal direction. The peritoneum was penetrated in the 
neighbourhood of this rupture ; a communication had been thus 
established, through which the fluids passed, mingled with ster- 
coral matter. 
We found, beside, several other lesions — inflammation of the 
mesentery and epiploon — rupture of the diaphragm produced after 
death, and the thorax, abdomen, caecum, and colon, contained foetid 
gas, which took fire when a candle was brought near to it. 
This case is analogous in its results with those observed under 
similar circumstances, and may be added to those which tend to 
prove the danger of effusions of faecal matter. It would be difficult 
to assign the actual cause that produced it. It was, doubtless, 
effected either by the action of the clyster-pipe or the pressure 
caused by the injection of a considerable quantity of fluid. The 
appearance of the edges of the wound incline us to believe the 
latter supposition most probable. 
