ON THE REMOVAL OF CALCULI FROM THE 
BLADDER. 
By Mr. Mogford, V,S,, Guernsey. 
My attention has been arrested by an article in your number 
for January on Lithotomy ; a few observations on which, as they 
are the result of my own experience, will not, I am sure, give 
offence to that justly respected operator, Mr. Field. I cannot 
forbear from again expressing my surprise that, in operations of 
this kind, veterinary surgeons do not make use of the means so 
peculiarly accessible to them, viz. inverting the bladder through 
the rectum. Mr. Percivall has very kindly noticed my mode of 
operation in the third volume of his Lectures and the second of 
his Pathology. 
I first extracted a stone from the bladder in this way in the 
year 1820, and the case was published by Mr. White in 1824. 
No operation could be more simple or less exposed to dangerous 
consequences. There was no inflammatory symptom whatever, 
and the horse was soon after hunted. In fact, all that is required 
is a scapula and a probe-pointed bistoury, for the arteries are 
easily avoided without any guide. 
In proof of my assertion I may state that I have more than 
once introduced a stone into the bladder, and extracted it in the 
same way. 
About two years ago I introduced, by way of experiment, an 
egg into the bladder of a mare, and extracted it again, whilst 
she was in a standing position. As this was done in a private 
manner, I thought it advisable to have witnesses. I, therefore, 
introduced the egg into the bladder again, and left it there until 
the following morning, when I found that the bladder was full 
to bursting, as the mare was afraid to stale. At my request, 
three medical gentlemen of this island kindly accompanied me 
the next morning to witness the operation ; but being puzzled by 
the fulness of the bladder, and having no catheter at hand, I 
introduced, as a substitute, the nose of a bellows, which an- 
swered the purpose pretty well, although the large quantity of 
water in the bladder retarded the operation. Notwithstanding 
this, however, the operation was performed within a minute, and 
without breaking the egg, although the shell had been consider- 
ably softened by the action of the acid of the urine. In order to 
put the whole matter beyond a doubt to the spectators, I again 
introduced the egg. The mare was then killed, the bladder 
taken out, and shewn to them with the egg in it. 
