10 CALCULUS CAUSING RUPTURE OF THE RECTUM. 
At this time, as I was standing watching the case, the wife 
of the owner of the horse came to me and asked my opinion, 
the owner himself being out of town. I replied that I thought 
the case nearly a hopeless one, if not quite. Under those 
circumstances, then, she said she was determined to compound 
for him a dose of brandy and salt. I advised her to defer it 
for a little while, but unsuccessfully. The dose w 7 as imme- 
diately made, and given by the men in my presence. I being 
asked to superintend, of course I could not refuse a lady ; 
but left the stable immediately after it was swallowed, hint- 
ing, as politely as I could, that perhaps they would send for 
me when it was deemed my services were again required. 
I heard nothing more of the case until about five, p.m., 
when I was again sent for in a great hurry. On my arrival, 
I found my patient still standing, nor had he lain down during 
the last four hours. The surface of the body was bathed in 
a profuse perspiration ; still no pulse was to be felt at the jaw ; 
the conjunctival and Schneiderian membranes were about 
their natural colour, the ears, extremities, nose, and skin 
covering the frontal bones cold, and no more faeces had been 
voided. I administered another ball, the same as before. 
Soon after this a profuse secretion of saliva took place ; in 
fact, the horse foamed at the mouth, as it is termed, and the 
spasmodic action of the lower jaw ceased. The tongue and 
buccal membrane were now observed to be blanched, and the 
belly became tympanitic. 
I threw up an enema of warm water, but it was ejected 
perfectly uncoloured, either by blood or faeces. From this 
time till twelve p.m., clysters only were occasionally exhi- 
bited ; but they were always returned unaltered. The surface 
of the body and the legs were kept warmly clothed. The 
only peculiarity now noticed,besides the symptoms already de- 
scribed, w 7 as, that the horse backed against the wall and sup- 
ported himself by pressing with his hocks and hind quarters 
against it, until just twelve o’clock, when on the man elevating 
the animal’s head, with the intention of giving him a little 
gruel, he dropped down, then rose again, and falling to the 
ground once more, died almost without a struggle. At no 
period did the symptoms warrant the abstraction of blood ; 
in fact, at one time, from the pallidness of the membranes, 
I was inclined to the opinion that hemorrhage was taking 
place from the liver. The morbid parts I have forwarded to 
the College for your inspection. 
I am, Sirs. 
[The rupture of the rectum evidently owed its existence to 
