138 ULCERATION OF THE SMALL INTESTINES. 
The horse having been lately clipped, my ideas first re- 
verted to that circumstance. I therefore inquired if he had 
been exposed to cold air within the last forty-eight hours, or 
had drank any cold water? The answer to these questions 
was a decided negative, and I could learn no more than that 
the horse was standing perfectly still, as I have described, 
and breathing “violently.” My partner, Mr. Broad, gave 
the man a diffusible stimulant, consisting of — 
Ether. Sulphuric., 
Tinct. Opii., ana f§j ; 
Aquae, fjxij. M, 
and stated that I would quickly follow the messenger. 
I, however, was in no great haste, not imagining that the 
symptoms portended danger, as I regarded the case one of 
ordinary congestion, and thought it would, like the majority 
of these affections, readily yield to the remedy sent. At half- 
past four, p. m., I reached Chelsea, and found the report I 
had received true in every particular. The horse was still 
standing, with his head hanging down, and the breathing was 
both quick and laboured. I watched him for some time, but 
he neither moved or stirred from the place. The heart’s 
action was plainly perceptible to a spectator, but there was 
no pulse to be felt at any artery. The buccal membrane was 
palid, but not clammy. The Schneiderian membrane was 
also colourless. The extremities were devoid of warmth, and 
the animal several times shook as if from the impression of 
cold on the body. The draught had been easily given, but 
no relief of the symptoms whatever had followed its adminis- 
tration. The excretions were healthy. I now began to make 
a more critical examination. The head, when held up, pro- 
duced no perceptible increase of suffering ; manipulation of 
the sides drew forth no response ; indeed the body appeared 
to want sensation in every part rather than in any one place, 
so as to awaken suspicion of any organ being affected in 
particular. Here, I thought, is a puzzling case. Something 
evidently is very wrong, yet the symptoms denote nothing 
beyond congestion. Congestion, if universal, to be sure could 
not lead to any serious results ; but in such instances it is 
accompanied with visible swellings, and other easily-recog- 
nized symptoms. The proprietor wanted me to bleed, and 
even pressed me to do so. This I refused, for I knew no 
blood could be obtained until reaction had been set up. I 
therefore applied a sinapism to the sides, stimulated the 
throat and chest, had the legs fomented and bandaged, and 
gave another draught as before, which the animal swallowed 
