ABSCESS IN THE WOMB OF A MARE. 299 
at the end of her halter, directed her muzzle towards the inferior 
part of the abdomen, and oftener towards the left flank. 
18M. — Her tongue is dry and contracted — the conjunctiva is 
becoming of a pale yellow colour — the bowels are constipated — 
the urine in small quantity, but thick, oily and green — the pulse 
remains small and accelerated. Give sulphate of soda in a de- 
coction of linseed with honey — continue the injection, and apply 
a warm lotion to the belly. 
19M.— No change — continue treatment. 
20 th . — Aggravation of the symptoms. The pulse can scarcely 
be felt — the tongue is covered with thick mucus, yellow, re- 
sembling the skin of a hog — the mouth was lined with the same 
matter — some ulcerations commencing within the lips. She is 
now at liberty in the stable — she lies down and gets up fre- 
quently, but always with pain, resting often upon her haunches — 
frequently her back leaning against the wall, and her extremities 
extending before her — her face, and especially the alae of the nose, 
contracted in an extraordinary manner — and every thing seeming 
to presage approaching death. 
21sr. — Somewhat better. Gruel with aether administered. 
' 22 d, 23 d, '2&th. — In the same state. 
2 5th, — Evident amendment. She takes her drink well, and 
eats a little chaff. 
The hand being introduced a second time into the vagina pro- 
duced violent contractions, during which I felt an enormous fluc- 
tuating tumour. Another exploration by the rectum apprised me 
that it occupied the left side of the uterus. At the same time I 
felt another flattened tumour, of a smaller size, whose situation 
sufficiently explained the difficulty of administering the injec- 
tions, and, at the same time, the impossibily of obtaining the 
least discharge of faecal matter ; in fact, the intestine was so com- 
pressed that my hand, being well oiled, I had much difficulty in 
removing the obstacle, and extracting a great quantity of excre- 
ment, hard and dry, and the removal of which appeared to afford 
much ease to the poor animal. 
These different manoeuvres and discoveries could not leave me 
any doubt of the existence of a considerable depot in the womb, 
and the necessity of making an opening into it. I therefore pro- 
vided myself, in my next visit, with a troisquart — an instrument 
terminating in a point, with three cutting edges at the extremity 
— and also a sound and a bistoury. 
2()t/i..— 1 fixed our patient to the manger, and introduced ray 
hand, well oiled, into the vagina; but after a long examination, 
and one attempt to plunge my troisquart into the womb, I 
refrained until 1 could obtain assistance. The case w r as a seri- 
ous one ; the operation was urgent, uncertain, and difficult to 
