EXPERIMENTS ON NITRE. 
69 
and weak. 1 o’clock, pulse 52; quickness of breathing con- 
tinues. 2 o’clock, pulse 56, weak, and breathing more laboured. 
3 o’clock, pulse 68, with great prostration of strength, and 
symptoms of pain. 4 o’clock, pulse 84, and more uneasy. 
5 o’clock, he lay down, struggled violently, with loud groans ; 
anxious glances at the flank, and other appearances of excessive 
pain. 6 o’clock, after violent and long-continued exertions to 
rise, he succeeded, though in a very weak condition, and per- 
spiring profusely ; pulse 100. 7 o’clock, pulse 100, very hard 
and full : the perspiration increases : he has voided urine copi- 
ously (the first time since 7 o’clock a.m.), which greatly re- 
lieved him. 8 o’clock, pulse 90, more regular, breathing less 
laboured, and altogether appears better. 9 and 10 o’clock, 
pulse 80, more regular ; the perspiration has subsided ; he is 
eating with an appetite, and the effects of the nitre appear much 
abated. 
29 th, 6 o’clock, a.m. — Very sluggish, with much perspiration. 
He has eaten but little during the night; breathing still con- 
tinues laboured ; pulse 80, and very thumping. 8 o’clock, 
pulse 76; he is feeding, and in less pain. 11 o’clock, pulse 62. 
2 o’clock, p.m., pulse 55, and feeble. 10 o’clock, pulse 50, ex- 
ceedingly feeble and irregular. 
30 th, 8 o’clock, a.m. — Pulse 50; his appetite is restored, 
with every prospect of a speedy recovery : feeling satisfied that 
all important symptoms resulting from the nitre had subsided, 
and that further perseverance in this subject was unnecessary, 
I had him destroyed at 10 o’clock a.m. 
Post-mortem Examination . 
The appearance of the abdomen was healthy. 
The stomach, which I opened along the large curvature, 
shewed several dark patches, situated about three inches from 
the pyloric orifice, and extending over nearly half the villous coat. 
These, five in number, had for their centre black spots as of 
chronic affection, which diverged into larger patches, less in- 
flamed : the stomach throughout was flushed and much thick- 
ened, especially at these patches, which, when cut through, pre- 
sented a deposit of serum. A small portion of the cuticular coat, 
adjoining one of the patches on the villous portion, was very much 
affected, even to its destruction. This appeared like the long- 
standing effects of some of the mineral poisons, or of chronic disease 
in a state of reparation*, but harrowed up afresh by some recent 
agent. Around the pylorus, the stomach was not at all affected. 
* I am of opinion that horses are more subject to diseases of the stomach 
than is generally supposed, having witnessed some very singular cases, upon 
which I may, perhaps, make some remarks when future opportunity offers. 
