8 
PROPOSAL TO FORM A VETERINARY 
PROTECTION SOCIETY. 
By G. W. Varnell, Esq., Assistant-Professor, Royal 
Veterinary College. 
To the Editors of the i Veterinarian ? 
Dear Sirs, — I should be glad to ascertain, through the 
medium of your valuable Journal, what are your opinions, and 
also those of the members of the profession, as to the de- 
sirability of establishing an institution to be designated “ The 
Veterinary Protection Society.” 
The principal object thereof would be, to raise a fund to 
defend an action at law brought against a graduated member 
of the Society on account of an accident occurring in 
the practice of his profession, or an injury inflicted on a 
patient while under treatment ; the case being always, in 
detail, laid before a committee appointed for the especial pur- 
pose before its defence is determined upon. 
I am, yours, &c. 
A CALCULUS CAUSING RUPTURE OF THE 
RECTUM OF A HORSE. 
By R. Hawes, M.R.C.V.S., London. 
On Friday, Nov. 14th, about half-past eight, a.m., I was 
requested to attend a horse immediately. I reached the stable 
about nine o’clock, and found my patient, an aged grey geld- 
ing of the coach-horse breed, standing in the centre of his 
stall with drooping head and eyelids. The first indication of 
pain given by the animal in my presence, was by the head 
being turned round to the off-side, and the muzzle pressed 
against the flank. This peculiar movement was repeated on 
the near side immediately afterwards, and continued at inter- 
vals till death occurred. 
The ears, surface of the body, and legs were cold ; the 
Schneiderian membrane of its natural pink hue ; the conjunc- 
tival, slightly injected ; the pulse imperceptible at the angle of 
the jaw, and continued so throughout the progress of the 
attack ; and no faeces had been voided since the stall had 
