360 
PERFORATION OF THE BLADDER. 
bladder, an accidental opening, composed of a false membrane 
incompletely organized, and which conducted the urine from the 
bladder into the abdomen through an ulcerated point of the 
peritoneum — a pathological disposition of parts which explains 
how this liquid could have penetrated into the abdominal cavity, 
although the wound in the bladder was situated outside of the 
peritoneum. 
Such is the account of this singular death. In order to com- 
plete the subject, it will be necessary to inquire a little into the 
origin and nature of the tumour which was the source of all 
this evil. 
It ought, perhaps, to be added, that these alterations of 
structure have in some cases been remarked in horses that have 
been long placed under the influence of the virus of glanders 
or farcy. 
The horse that was the subject of this narrative, having exhi- 
bited the appearance of the most perfect health during the three 
years that preceded this malady, and the osseous tumour which 
was the cause of the mischief being in the pelvic cavity, it seems 
to us impossible to refer the development of this tumour to the 
constitution of the animal, or to any physical lesion. We must 
have recourse to the normal organization of the symphysis pubis 
for the explication of this pathological phenomenon. 
It results from our diligent investigation of this subject, and 
from the observation of Professor Rigot, that there is no part of 
the skeleton of the horse in which the conformation is more 
variable than the anterior and superior surface of the symphysis 
pubis — in effect it is sometimes concave , at others plane , and 
often of an irregular character. 
After the consideration of these anatomical facts we are natu- 
rally induced to believe that the pubian tumour which we are 
now considering did not depend on any pathological cause , and 
was nothing more than a natural bony eminence , abnormally 
developed . 
If it is asked, whether we imagine that this osseous protuber- 
ance, which had undoubtedly existed for a considerable time, 
could all at once have inflicted a mortal blow on the bladder, we 
reply, that we know not, but that it seems to us probable that this 
lesion had been occasioned, if not all at once, yet in part, by a 
sudden motion of the bladder in a state of partial fulness, 
whether during a leap or a fall, or some violent effort. 
It is also very possible that this perforation of the bladder 
might be the result of ulcerous inflammation, produced by the 
simple presence of the osseous eminence. In point of fact, we 
dare not affirm any thing positive on the subject. 
Rec. de Med. Vet. Jan, 1842 
