THE 
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VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XXI, 
No. 241. 
JANUARY 1848. 
Third Series, 
No. 1. 
EFFECTS OF CHLOROFORM ON THE HORSE. 
THE conversation the other evening, after the Council meeting 
had broken up, turning on the probable effects of chloroform, it 
being just about the time that publicity was given to Professor 
Simpson’s experiments, Mr. Goodwin, Y. S. to the Queen, 
informed those present that he had a horse — lame from navicular- 
thritis — at the Royal Mews, which he would be happy to make the 
subject of any trial of the kind. Accordingly, a day was fixed, 
and Messrs. Wilkinson, A. Cherry, Henderson, and Percivall 
attended, to witness an experiment promising to be of an unusually 
interesting character. 
The animal, a fine sleek-looking bay carriage horse, evidently 
lame, came snorting and prancing out of his stable, full of health 
and vigour, and was led at once into the riding school. Though 
naturally quiet and good tempered, still, from his present buoyancy 
of spirits, it required some courage on the part of the strangers 
present to approach him. Such being the case, it became a ques- 
tion how or in what manner the chloroform was to be applied, so 
that he might effectually inhale its vapour. After some pro and 
con observations and suggestions, it was determined to send for a 
common leathern muzzle, and to affix to such parts of it as were 
(when the muzzle was on the head) directly opposed to the nostrils, 
two pieces of sponge, each of sufficient magnitude to imbibe an 
ounce or more of liquid chloroform. This was done, and the muzzle 
so fitted up, put on. Every thing being adjusted about the head, 
chloroform liquid from a bottle was poured first upon one sponge, 
afterwards upon the other by Mr. Percivall, out of a bottle con- 
taining three ounces of the fluid, until about two-thirds of the entire 
quantity, an ounce upon each sponge, had disappeared. The opera- 
tion of pouring being finished, the groom, who had hold of the 
cavesson, by which the animal for fear of accident had been secured, 
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