EMPHYSEMA OF THE LIVER. 
611 
she was kept by herself ; and I ordered that generous and nutri- 
tious diet, in small quantities, should be frequently offered to her. 
The mare rapidly improved in condition, her appetite increased, 
and her movements were altered to “time allegro.” In fact, she 
had changed so much for the better, that I hoped nothing more 
was requisite to restore her to her usual vocation than a little 
rest and a continuation of good living. 
A fortnight had elapsed since my last visit, during which time 
I continued to hear of her improvement, when I was surprised at 
receiving a note from her owner, wishing me to ride over to his 
residence immediately, “ as the mare was down in her stable, 
' and they could not succeed in getting her up again.” 
Upon my arrival, I found her in precisely the situation in which 
he had described her to be. She had shewn no symptoms of 
uneasiness on the previous evening, but was gayer than usual. 
Durino* the week she had eaten her food with an increased 
appetite, and *had, in fact, so much improved in her health and 
appearance, that it was the intention of her owner to have worked 
her in the week subsequently. 
Her breathing was not laborious — her pulse not beyond 45, 
and soft — her ears and extremities were warm and comfortable. 
There was no peculiar expression of acute pain — no rolling on her 
back — but her head was frequently turned sorrowfully towards 
her abdomen, as though she would have said, “ here is the seat 
of my suffering, cannot you render me some assistance?” 
She made several ineffectual attempts to raise herself, but all 
to no purpose. Her faeces were in a liquid state, and were 
voided almost involuntarily. As we had not the means, in the 
situation in which she was, of suspending her in slings (which, 
by the by, I generally consider is like signing a death warrant), 
I thought we had better not exhaust what little strength she had 
remaining by our misplaced assistance in endeavouring to raise 
her. I had her comfortably bedded down with dry straw, 
applied warm clothing to her loins, and administered 3 ij opii 
and gr. v. of cantharides, in combination with ginger and gentian, 
in some warm gruel, and left another dose, should circumstances 
require it, to be given in the evening. 
During the day she ate several small portions of hay; and a 
little bran and oats were offered her, a part of which she also 
partook of. In the evening she appeared decidedly better ; at 
half past eight she seemed to be going on well ; but upon entering 
the stable shortly afterwards, death had closed the scene, and 
that so abruptly that she evidently died with scarcely a struggle. 
Upon the following morning I made a post-mortem examina- 
