192 
RUPTURE OF THE AXILLARY VEIN. 
course recommended by Mr. Mayhew, but not generally recognized 
by the profession. The result was certainly gratifying ; but, had 
the sinuses taken an inward direction, I should have hesitated to 
employ the knife with the freedom which I used on this occa- 
sion. That the sinuses were superficial, I attribute mainly to the 
altered structure of the cartilage; the bony condition of which, 
though, as indicated by foetor, in a state of ulceration, was enabled 
to resist the progress of the disease. The free incisions, by expos- 
ing the bone, set up a new action, and the recovery was as rapid as 
the disorder had been lingering. There are some practitioners who 
may object to the plan here recommended to their notice, but a little 
reflection will assure them it is not attended with danger, or based 
on principles which have not been long advocated. Many, no doubt, 
will continue to use caustics ; but in that case none ought to be 
employed which are not highly soluble, as they may otherwise 
gravitate to the bottom of a sinus, become confined, and act as 
foreign substances, setting up a degree of irritation which no skill 
could remove without resorting to an operation. 
The mare can now be seen at Mr. Jackson’s stable, at Bow, 
London. 
Rupture of the Axillary Vein. 
March 20, 1847. — I was called to a four-year-old mare, the 
property of Mr. Reeve, of Leighton. The animal had gone through 
a severe run with the fox hounds four hours previous to my see- 
ing her, which had occasioned extreme congestion of the lungs. 
But the chief point of interest in this case was a great tumefac- 
tion extending from the ulnar and axillary regions along the side 
of the abdomen, as far back as the fourteenth rib. The swelling 
was soft and rather elastic. By applying pressure with* the two 
hands at the extremity of the swelling, and carrying them onward 
to the elbow, the swelling was nearly removed, but upon with- 
drawing pressure it quickly re-appeared. It was evidently fluid ; 
but whence came it I I could not detect any thing like rupture of the 
abdominal muscles. The mare had not received any bruise upon 
the part, and I was therefore inclined to attribute it to haemorrhage 
of the spur vein, resulting from inordinate pressure of the girth. 
My employer being very anxious for the recovery of his favourite 
animal, I, not seeing a probable chance of that being realized, 
requested I might have the assistance of Mr. Lepper, of Ayles- 
bury. Suffice it to say, that the animal died, and Mr. Lepper 
kindly assisted me in making the post-mortem, which I will now 
briefly relate. 
