CASE OF LITHOTOMY IN THE HOUSE. 
G81 
that I examined the bladder by the rectum, and found a large 
solid body firmly fixed towards its neck. On a second examina- 
tion, in the evening of the same day, I found the bladder distended 
with urine, and could then move the substance backwards to the 
fundus, which change instantly brought on the usual painful 
efforts (but on this occasion much increased in intensity) for 
the expulsion of the offending matter. This was communicated 
to Mr. Windle, and that relief could only be looked for from 
lithotomy. He was sent for home ; but after a few months had 
passed over, Mr. Windle consented to the operation, and he was 
again admitted into my stables on the 4th of November, 1836, 
much lighter in flesh than before. He was restricted from this 
time to a diet of bran and carrots, in order to prepare him for it. 
Friday, the 2d of December, being fixed upon for the opera- 
tion, the following medical friends were in attendance: — Mr. 
It. Cave Browne, surgeon; Mr. Allies, ditto; Mr. Webb, ditto; 
all of Tamworth : Mr. Adams, surgeon, Walsall; Mr. Friend, 
veterinary surgeon, Walsall ; and my brother, Mr. John Robin- 
son, veterinary surgeon, Lichfield, who all very kindly assisted 
in the operation. 
The horse was cast in the same way as for castration, and, 
being placed on his back, the hinder legs were drawn up, and 
secured near the shoulders. The penis being drawn out of the 
sheath and well cleansed with warm water, a whalebone staff’ was 
passed up the urethra, and its end cut down upon, where it 
pointed in the perinseum ; but from the struggles of the animal 
it was withdrawn, and the jointed sound introduced : the opening 
into the urethra was then enlarged, and the external incision 
carried obliquely down by the anus for about four inches : the 
fore finger of the left hand was then used as a director in opening 
the pelvic portion of the urethra and neck of the bladder. The 
forceps were now found to be too weak and inadequate for the 
extraction of the calculus, and a further division of the bladder 
was made, to admit the hand of Mr. Friend (considerably smaller 
than my own) ; but so firmly did the coats of the bladder adhere 
to the rough mulberry-like surface of the stone, that it was with 
very great difficulty the fingers could be insinuated between 
them ; and then so tenacious was the grasp with which it was 
held by the contractile power of the bladder, that it required 
considerable force to remove it. 
The interior of the wound was now sponged, and the few 
small pieces, broken off the stone, carefully removed from its 
surface : three stitches were then used in closing the upper 
portion of the divided integument. The loss of blood was only a 
few ounces, and it was not necessary to apply ligatures to any of 
