014 RUPTURE AND DECOMPOSITION OF THE STOMACH. 
always passed away in a short time. On the 28th of June, 
1837, he had another attack : the same means were supposed 
to be resorted to. Linseed oil and laudanum were given, but the 
quantity is not stated. For want of a horn, the stable-people 
made use of a wine bottle, which they found in the stable ; and, 
without examining whether it was clean or not, they poured the 
medicine into it, and immediately administered its contents to 
the horse, even to the very dregs. Shortly after, it was dis- 
covered that the bottle had contained liquid blister, and, accord- 
ing to the groom’s opinion, not less than three or four ounces 
of it. All this was kept a profound secret until after the 
death of the animal. The horse, however, got, to all appear- 
ance, as well in a short time as he was used to be, eating his 
food, &c., as usual. He was sent to severe work next morn- 
ing, and which he continued to perform, as before, for twelve 
days ; when, on being taken out of harness at the end of his 
stage (a distance of eight miles), he laydown, rolled about, and 
almost bruised himself to pieces by his violent struggles. He 
continued in this state about one hour, when he died, in extreme 
suffering. This is the account given to me by the foreman and 
the helpers. 
Mrs. M., on hearing of the death of the horse, sent for me, 
and requested that I would go and examine him ; which I did 
in the presence of several persons well versed in horse matters, 
and two farriers. 
The abdomen was tremendously distended with gas, and was 
as hard as a drum. On opening it, the first thing that pre- 
sented itself was a quantity of undigested food and brown bloody 
water mixed together. On examining further, the food — consist- 
ing of hay, oats, and beans — was lodged, and impacted between 
the foldings of the intestines, and the whole of the abdominal 
viscera appeared as though they had been thus surrounded for 
a considerable time before death. The stomach was ruptured in 
many directions, and almost decomposed. Its coats were nearly 
destroyed, and hung like rags to the cardiac and pyloric orifices. 
The colon w r as also ruptured about its middle part, the orifice 
being about two inches in diameter ; but its other portions w'ere 
sound. The diaphragm was worn as thin as brown paper, and 
yielded to the least force at that part which approximates to the 
stomach. The liver was easily lacerated, and much discoloured. 
The lungs and the heart, and all the intestines, and through the 
whole of their course (except the rupture in the colon), appeared 
in every respect healthy, shewing only a slight discoloration in 
those parts which lay near the colon or stomach. The kidneys 
were much larger than usual, and of a very pale colour. The 
