THE EDINBURGH VETERINARY COLLEGE. 
95 
of those tissues which have lost their relation to the system, or of 
other irritants, which may exist in the sinuses. Stimulating dress- 
ings are frequently required, to change the indolent action some- 
times existing in these cases ; hut caustics applied so as to cause 
extensive sloughing are not needed: they occasion, frequently, 
considerable destruction of sound tissues, which must be re- 
produced by the slow process of organization before restoration 
(often necessarily imperfect from the very use of these caustics) 
can be effected. In some cases, the use of caustics causes slough- 
ing to such an extent as to expose the coffin joint or bursae in 
connexion with the perforans tendon, rendering recovery im- 
possible. 
The case of paralysis of the rectum is one of a rather rare nature : 
it occurred in a dray horse, the property of a brewer. It was 
stated, when first brought here, that he had been foundered, for 
which he had been a fortnight under treatment by a smith who 
shoes the horses belonging to the same establishment ; there were 
not, however, any traces of that disease, and it appeared more 
likely that the stiffness had arisen from the injury, which was 
probably the cause of paralysis of the rectum. There was evi- 
dently a considerable degree of rigidity of the loins ; the tail was 
carried somewhat to the off side ; pressure along the spine of 
the sacrum caused pain ; the rectum was impacted with faeces, 
the sphincter ani relaxed, and the anus half open; urine frequently 
dribbled from his sheath, indicating a degree of paralysis of the 
neck of the bladder, and the horse straddled considerably in his 
gait. No account could or would be given of any accident which 
had befallen him ; but, from the nature of his work, it appeared 
probable that, when the cart had been loaded on some occasion 
with empty barrels, one of them had fallen on his croup or loins, 
injuring the sacrum, and, through it, the spinal cord and the 
nerves passing through the sacral foramina, so as to interrupt the 
normal transmission of nervous influence to and from the parts, the 
functions of which were impaired. He was bled, a dose of medi- 
cine given, the rectum was emptied by back-raking, and occasional 
clysters were administered to keep its contents in a soft con- 
dition. Several plies of hot cloths were laid over the loins and 
quarters, and were frequently renewed ; he was also put on mash 
diet. When the medicine commenced operating, he appeared 
greatly improved ; but as the dung began to acquire a firmer 
consistence, the weakness of the parts again became more appa- 
rent. A smart blister was, therefore, applied over the sacrum, 
which, with the medicine, has been repeated, and the horse is now 
rapidly recovering. 
