PHRENIC HERNIA. 
505 
At my evening visit, I found him much the same as when 
left in the morning; pulse 56, and it has regained its power. 
His favorite position is lying upon his back or side, with his 
feet firmly pressed against the wall or manger, but he does not 
roll as if in acute pain. He frequently stands for half an hour 
at a time, preferring a corner to press his quarters against. 
Repeat the bleeding, to the extent of eight pints ; also the 
draught, omitting the aromatic spirit of ammonia. 
June 4th. — There is a great change for the worse. The 
animal has been more restless during the night, and he is 
now continually pacing the stable; indeed all hopes of re- 
covery are fled. He died about noon. 
Post-mortem examination . — On opening the abdomen not 
the slightest trace of inflammation was to be discerned, not 
even a blush ; but the diaphragm was found ruptured in its 
muscular portion, some six inches in extent; against which 
was lying, for it had hardly entered the thorax, a doubling of 
the small intestine. Upon further investigation, the stomach, 
small intestines, colon, and ccecum, were perceived to be all 
in a very healthy state. The ingesta was pultaceous, denoting 
that our medicine had done its duty. But at the anterior 
part of the rectum existed an obstruction, formed of hard 
fecal matter, double the size of an ordinary cricket ball. 
The gut appeared to have accommodated itself to this accu- 
mulation, which required great force to break it down, but it 
contained no nucleus. 
I think there can be little doubt but that the animal first 
suffered from pains brought on by this impacting of the in- 
testine, and that in some of his falls, or in rolling, he caused 
the phrenic hernia which was the immediate cause of death. 
Hence the desirability, if at all able, of keeping our patients 
on their legs, in these affections, as much as possible, and 
perhaps assisting them by hard friction over the belly. I 
have lately witnessed the death of a valuable young horse, 
from entanglement of the bowels, caused by rolling, when 
suffering from spasms produced by worms. That practised 
veterinarian would confer a boon on the profession who would 
well define the varied symptoms of abdominal diseases in the 
horse. At times they are often very perplexing. Last year 
I saw a case of perforated bowel. For some days no more 
urgent symptom was present than a continual uneasiness or 
fidgetiness; the entire absence of acute pain; but, as in all 
cases 1 have witnessed, a peculiar glossiness of the coat, and 
fetid breath. I must, however, “ pull up,” or you will think 
I have vanity enough to commence what I am asking others 
to do. 
XXIX. 
65 
