394 
PUNCTURE OF THE THORAX. 
to produce a discharge of granular dirty fluid from the 
nostrils during the last few hours of the life of the animal. 
In some cases, in which the disease has existed for some 
time before I have been called in, the breath is extremely 
fetid, and the mucous membranes yellow from the absorp- 
tion of bile. These symptoms are precursors of death, 
especially when accompanied with coldness of the nostrils 
and extremities. 
In the disease I have described, I find it a matter of 
some difficulty to convince the owners that something exists 
beyond “ colic — that this is only one symptom of disease 
affecting other important parts. But the fact of several of 
them having their horses drop down dead at their work, has 
caused them to ponder over the matter most seriously. 
Powerful stimulants, combined with narcotics, together with 
easily digested food, such as boiled barley and oats, soon effect 
a cure, when followed up by tonics and diuretics. Bleeding 
and physicking kills them quickly, and the excessive pros- 
tration of strength present contra-indicates the use of anti- 
phlogistic agents. 
CASE OF PUNCTURE OF THE THORAX. 
By Jabez Adams, Y.S., Warminster. 
A short time since we were sent for in haste to Mr. F — ’s, 
a distance of ten miles, to see a cart mare, which was re- 
ported to have received a serious injury. On arriving at 
our destination the following case presented itself. Our 
patient had been turned out to pasture with other horses, 
when one of her companions ran at her, driving her over a 
plough which had been inadvertently left in the field, one 
handle of which she struck with such violence as to break it 
off. On examination, we discovered the handle inserted 
deeply in the chest, with only a very small portion of it pro- 
truding. Efforts were immediately made with the hand 
to extract it, but so firmly had it become impacted, that this 
was not easily accomplished, and it was not until a large 
pair of pincers had been employed, that the offending body 
could be withdrawn. After it had been thus extracted, it 
was found to measure 24 inches in length, and about 3 or 4 
inches in circumference. Having thus far effected our pur- 
pose, we turned our attention to the wound, which appeared 
to pass close to the first rib on the left side, between it and the 
