CASE OF GASTRITIS, PERITONITIS, &C. 677 
coat inflamed ; the vessels of the villous coat in a state of con- 
gestion. Blood oozed out of the minute extremities of some of the 
bloodvessels, which could readily be wiped oflf. The muscular 
coat of the oesophagus very much thickened for several inches 
jrom the stomach, but mostly so at its termination and around the 
cardiac orifice : this arose from the repeated eructations. Lungs 
healthy — the right side of the heart filled with “ white coagulated 
blood,” and the left with black treacly blood. The stomach not 
having been analyzed, positive proof is wanting as to the actual 
cause of death ; but I am firmly of opinion that gastritis was not 
produced by the food he had been eating. The symptoms when 
living, and appearances after death, lead to the confirmation of what 
1 stated to the proprietor at the onset of the affection, — viz. that 
the animal was diseased through the agency of some pernicious 
ingredient in the stomach, but how it came there, is at present a 
mystery. singular feature in this affair was, the complete obli- 
teration and mortification of both jugular veins, which probably 
would alone have caused death, and that extending downwards. 
It is true the veins were not opened afresh every time blood-letting 
was resorted to, and that the neck was corded, but not more so 
than in many cases I have knowm that did welt afterwards, in 
which irritation was set up in both veins. The incisions not 
uniting, and haemorrhage taking place at an unusually short space 
of time after venesection, is another important fact in the case, 
which should not be lost sight of in a pathological point of view, 
since two questions arise out of it; first, was the turbid consist- 
ence of the blood, with a disposition to coagulate in the veins 
(since, undoubtedly, the exciting cause of inflammation in the veins 
was coagula in the incisions), caused by the vastly accelerated 
action of the heart and arteries, the blood being thereby hurried 
through the lungs, and in consequence not properly purified 1 — 
secondly, were the chemical properties of the blood altered by any 
thing poisonous being swallowed I In conclusion, I may remark, 
that the venous system is exceedingly liable to congestion, and 
especially after vegetable poisons have found their way into the 
stomach. 
P.S. — I have a case or two to record respecting some dogs which 
died lately under suspicious circumstances of poisoning. Some 
thought they were rabid ; others, that they died from distemper. 
