72 
ENLARGEMENT OF THE SPLEEN. 
tissue, and also the muscles of the whole body, were more or 
less the seat of the deposit as was the cranial cavity, spinal 
canal, and even the cancellated structure of many of the bones. 
The substance of the petrous temporal bone was likewise 
blackened by the same matter. 
Notwithstanding that scarcely an organ of the entire frame 
could be considered as free from melanosis, no appearance of 
cancerous or other malignant changes of the tissues could be 
detected in association with the pigmentous deposit.] 
ENLARGEMENT OF THE SPLEEN. 
By the Same. 
A horse, belonging to A. C., Esq., having suddenly died 
while at pasture, I was requested to institute a post-mortem 
examination. On making an incision into the abdomen, a 
great quantity of blood rushed out, rendering it evident that 
a rupture of some viscus had taken place. On further exa- 
mination, a large purple coloured mass, having more the 
appearance of the animal’s lungs when engorged with blood, 
than anything else I could compare it to, presented itself. On 
turning it over, I observed the intestines to be swimming in 
blood, and all the rest of the viscera considerably displaced, 
but yet seemingly in a healthy state. To my surprise, l 
found this huge mass to be the spleen, greatly enlarged. 
Further research showed that a rupture of one of the splenic 
vessels had taken place, thus causing the fatal haemorrhage. 
On removing the spleen from the body, it was found to weigh 
ninety-two pounds , and this after being carried in a cart some 
miles distant before it was weighed, which necessarily was 
attended with a loss of much blood on the way. 
On making inquiry respecting the previous state of the 
horse’s health, I was informed that he was quite able to do 
his work, to w r ithin a few days of his death ; that he was first 
used as a carriage horse, but latterly had been at work on the 
farm. He was never remembered to have had any illness. 
He had been in the gentleman’s possession for upwards of 
thirty years, and the only thing ever observed about him was 
that he used occasionally to breathe very quickly. He like- 
wise never did well while at grass. The state of the breath- 
ing, I think, may easily be accounted for by the great size of 
the spleen producing pressure upon the diaphragm. 
Inverkeillor, Forfarshire. 
