CASE OF SPINAL DISEASE IN A SOW. 
9 
and from their great length and size, it must be seen that it is a 
very difficult business to re-invert them, especially when one has 
such an irritable and restless subject to operate on. I conceive 
that the best plan to re-invert them would be, to have, for such a 
case as the present, a wooden staff or pessary, at least thirty inches 
long, with a bevelled bulbous end thereto, similar in shape to that 
of a constable’s staff. We should apply the bulbous end of this 
staff to the extremity of one of the horns, and gradually force it up 
into the interior of the horn, pressing in at the same time its sides. 
In sq doing we must be particularly careful not to apply too much 
forc-j, otherwise we shall rupture its tender tissue. In the case 
before mentioned, the great bulk of the muscular fibres was cir- 
cular, and the rupture was not across them, but seemed as if the 
cellular membrane connecting a bundle of fibres was merely torn. 
From the fibres of the muscles lying in this circular direction, of 
course there would be, by using undue force, more danger of 
rupturing the uterus than if they were disposed to a longitu- 
dinal character. Having re-inverted and forced up one horn, 
we must serve the other in a similar way. But I fear, from 
the comparative narrowness of the vagina, that, when we come to 
force the horn through it, there will be great difficulty in doing 
so, on account of the other horn being still within the passage ; 
each horn being as large as the vagina itself. If we cannot suc- 
ceed, of course we must pass either a single ligature around the 
neck, previous to its bifurcation, or, I think a preferable plan would 
be to pass a double ligature through the middle of it, and divide 
it into two portions, which ought to be tied ^parately ; and after- 
wards to amputate the uterus. In passing the ligature or ligatures 
around either the uterus or the vagina, we should be careful not 
to fasten them too high up, as it is possible we may include a por- 
tion of the bladder ; since, in the present case, though I am not 
quite certain of the fact, I am almost inclined to believe that, in 
the act of dividing the uterus or vagina, I cut through the bladder, 
as a quantity of urine immediately issued, although I am aware 
it may do so without any such division. 
II. — Case of Spinal Disease in a Sow. 
On the 5th June 1847, I was called in to attend a sow that had 
seven or eight pigs, a month old, suckling on her, the property of 
Viscount Combermere. I was told that on the 2d instant she was 
perfectly well ; but that on the 3d instant, in the morning, she was 
VOL. XXI. C 
