140 ULCERATION OF THE SMALL INTESTINES. 
tery. The largest would give egress to a filbert, and the 
smallest might allow a pea to pass through it. The perito- 
neum was reddened throughout ; but the mucous membrane 
of the intestine was not much congested. Upon exposing 
the whole of the interior of the intestines, an ulcer, pene- 
trating the lining membrane was discovered. This had 
removed about two inches in length, by one in breadth, of the 
mucous coat. A portion of the food, partaken of in the 
morning, had passed into the opening without any great 
resistance being offered, and came directly upon the muscular 
coat, and which, strange to say, had proved incapable of 
resisting the force of the peristaltic action. It had conse- 
quently yielded, and a rent in this tunic eight inches in 
length had actually been induced by so slight a cause ; and 
a portion of the ingesta was driven, by the sudden disturbance 
of the function of the intestines, between the two folds of 
peritoneum forming the mesentery. This constituted the 
enlargement to which my attention was directed in the first 
instance. The serous membrane gave way in various places, 
and being thus torn, the rents had that jagged and uneven 
appearance which might induce one hastily to conclude they 
were so many ulcers. For the elucidation of this true condi- 
tion of the parts, I must acknowledge myself indebted to the 
careful dissection of Mr. G. Varnell, assistant professor at 
the Royal Veterinary College, to whom I submitted the 
morbid specimen for inspection, considering it one of unusual 
occurrence. 
Remarks . We have here another proof of the frequent 
impossibility of coming to a positive conclusion concerning 
abdominal diseases. In this case the leading symptoms 
pointed to the thorax as the chief seat of the affection. The 
excited respiration, the pendulous head, and stationary attitude 
of the animal, would all sway the judgment in this direction. 
It is true there were contradictory indications, such as th» 
pallid aspect of the conjunctival and nasal membranes, 
the non-action of the external agents, the clammy state of the 
mouth, and the cold chills which from time to time pervaded 
the body. Manipulations were freely employed, endeavouring 
to draw forth some expression of suffering, but they elicited 
no response. 
Still no medicine whatever, had we known the precise condi- 
tion of the bowels that existed, could have been of the slightest 
benefit ; for the first indication of disturbed health announced, 
we may reasonably suppose, the termination of the disorder. 
When the posterior intestines are ulcerated, dysentery gene- 
rally shows itself, and when the small intestines are thus 
