RUPTURE OF THE COATS OF THE RECTUM. 193 
which, from his diet, was pultaceous ; the extremities were 
cold ; the mouth clammy, and little or no appetite for food was 
evinced; but he drank freely of gruel. I now began to give 
stimulants ; but till the tenth day there was no material im- 
provement, after which, however, the animal rallied. His 
pulse became softer and more regular in its beats ; less pain 
was manifested when voiding his faeces, which, however, were 
still passed in small quantities ; he also was able to move 
round his box, but was still very stiff of his hind legs. At 
the end of a fortnight or so, the inflammatory symptoms 
appeared to be arrested. The pulse became gradually more 
natural, the appetite tolerably good, and he now lay down 
for one night. 
After the sheepskins were discontinued, I applied mustard 
cataplasms upon and on each side of the sacrum, immediately 
over the seat of injury. 
The horse went on favorably, so far as life was concerned, 
and all dangerous symptoms had disappeared at the end of a 
month ; but at that time he still went very stiff on his hind 
legs, and the muscles on each side of the sacral portion of the 
spine showed loss of power and substance. The left side was 
the first to waste, over the seat of the lesion ; and which oc- 
curred in about six weeks from the time of the injury. The 
muscles were completely atrophied along the whole extent of 
the dorsum, or spine, from the sacrum to the withers. To this 
considerable oedema of the sheath supervened. The horse 
during this period had never been seen to lie down but once. 
About two months from the first indication of illness a large 
abscess formed in the sheath on the off-side, which suppurated 
freely ; and after this my patient daily improved, and gra- 
dually regained his strength and condition. The alvine 
evacuations likewise began to increase in quantity, and 
eventually, in about ten weeks, they became natural and 
regular. The horse is at this time so far recovered as to 
be able to carry his owner, as a hack to cover, and his action 
is not in the least impaired ; but he is rather weak on his 
hind legs, the muscles of the spine not having as yet filled 
up, but that they will do so, I have no doubt, in the course 
of the spring. 
Remarks . — Cases of this kind terminating successfully I 
believe are of very rare occurrence. I think I may attribute 
the favorable result in this instance, first, to the case having 
been early attended to ; and, secondly, to the situation of the 
rupture being at the superior part of the intestine. Respect- 
ing the cause of the rupture, it may be argued that it must 
have occurred the day the horse was out hunting. I am not of 
