268 
ON DIAGNOSIS IN 
completely stopping up the mesenteric artery, and also, partly, the 
posterior aorta, at the part where the former is given off. Ante- 
rior to this the latter was considerably distended and increased in 
size, and was filled with thin dark-coloured blood. When this 
was removed, the vessel collapsed more after the manner of a vein 
than an artery. The remainder of the abdominal organs were 
normal. The lungs were of normal volume and of natural size, 
but were filled with dark-coloured blood. The pericardium con- 
tained more serum than in the normal state. The right ventricle 
of the heart was much distended ; its parietes were so thin, that 
they resembled more a piece of skin than a muscular substance. It 
contained a quantity of thin dark-coloured blood, and, when this 
was removed, it collapsed like an empty bag. The left ventricle 
was normal, but contained (the same as the right) a quantity of 
vitiated blood. The autopsy here also proved that the animal 
died of an aneurism of the anterior mesenteric artery, accompanied 
with inflammation of the surrounding parts, particularly of the 
anterior portion of the posterior aorta, and principally at that part 
where the anterior mesenteric is given off. At the same time this 
was complicated with aneurism of the right ventricle of the heart 
(aneurysma cordis), and also a distention of the posterior aorta ; 
while, on the other hand, there was no organic disease of the lungs, 
as had been suspected, and is generally found to be the case 
with all horses who shew symptoms of asthma or broken wind. 
That the chronic affection was aneurism of the heart there remains 
no doubt; the other lesions being more recent, as was clearly 
shewn by the traces of inflammation which were observed in the 
different tissues. Going back to the cough and the intermittent 
pulse, which already existed when the patient was only four years 
old, Herr Rohling was quite certain of this, and, according to the 
breeder’s account the cough had existed almost from birth : he 
therefore draws this conclusion, that by the aneurism of the heart, 
though at first but small, the circulation of the blood through the 
lungs must have been considerably impeded, which was the cause 
of the cough. As this latter affection increased, the asthma fol- 
lowed. This naturally increased in intensity, when, from some 
cause or another, the circulation became more and more impeded 
by the obstruction in the mesenteric artery and the posterior aorta. 
These effects were followed by the fits of suffocation which so fre- 
quently occurred during the last illness, and which eventually ter- 
minated -in death. 
CASE IV. — In February 1840, Herr Rohling was informed that 
a brown mare, six years old, one of the carriage-horses of the 
Elector, had fed very well the same morning ; but at 9 A. M., when 
they went to harness her for the morning exercise, she could not be 
