A SINGULAR OPERATION ON A PIG. 
47 
described, when the owner bled him, by which he was relieved, 
and got quieter. In the afternoon he became worse, and was 
again bled. On the third morning he was as bad as ever, for 
which he was once more bled and had some oil given ; but his 
owner, a man of experience among horses, became alarmed, and 
sent for me. I got there in the afternoon — bled him for the fourth 
time, until he inclined to lie down — and gave him a laxative ball 
composed of aloes 3iv et tart, antim. 3*j — had his throat rubbed 
with liniment, and well clothed and bandaged. He appeared 
considerably relieved until night, when reaction took place, and 
he was as bad as before. I bled him for the fifth time, but more 
sparingly ; had the sheets and bandages taken off, and cold wa- 
ter thrown over him, which 1 managed by having several men 
to carry buckets-full of water from the well, and pouring it oyer 
his back. This was continued for an hour, when the symptoms 
were greatly mitigated ; and, on persevering for half an hour 
longer, they were entirely relieved. An injection was given, and 
a ball containing tart, antim. ^ij . I left him, and the owner was 
to let me know how he was in the morning. No word came ; 
and the next time I met him he told me the horse never had 
another “ ducking,” but got on to feed, although coughing, and 
was at work a few days after. 
I had another case somewhat similar a few days ago, but 
connected with founder. I relieved the active symptoms by co- 
pious and repeated bleedings, laxatives, and antimony, which I 
pushed to the fullest extent, as I was averse to the application of 
cold water in this case, from the acute founder that was existing. 
I have seldom seen the same train of symptoms, except in hot or 
nervous horses, where there was an inclination to take on flesh, 
or, as it may be termed, of a nervo-sanguineous habit. The dis- 
ease, no doubt, was symptomatic fever, arising from the over- 
exertion the animal had undergone, and there being a cold exist- 
ing at the time, the hot and cold stage not generally being so 
well marked. 
A SINGULAR OPERATION ON A PIG. 
By Dr. Mercer, F. R.C.S . , and Lecturer on Anatomy , 
Edinburgh. 
Castle Hill, Edinburgh, 
Dec. 10, 1842. 
Sir, — As cases of absence of the greater portion of the rectum, 
by congenital obliteration, are by no means common among do- 
mestic animals, the following account of such a malformation. 
