233 
A CASE OF DILATATION OF THE HEART IN A MARE. 
By Mr. J. D. H Amu son, V.S., Southport. 
On Thursday last I had an opportunity of witnessing the fol- 
lowing case ; and as it presented to me some lesions which I never 
met with before, its publication will, in all probability, be inte- 
resting to your readers. The subject was a cart mare, rising ten 
years old, and she had, from her youth upwards, been in the fre- 
quent habit of shafting very heavy loads, at which times her spirit 
appeared to far exceed her strength. She had, on the whole, been 
a very healthy and thrifty mare, having never, as I understand, 
been under a doctor’s care. The owner had, for the last eight or 
ten months, perceived that she did not thrive as heretofore ; but as 
she fed well, was always cheerful, and regularly performed her 
accustomed work in cart and plough, he conceived the ailment 
under which she laboured to be of trifling importance. On Tues- 
day last she was, in company with one or two others, yoked to 
the plough at 'eight o’clock in the morning, where she continued 
with what the owner thought more than her usual vigour until 
three in the afternoon; and, when taken home, took her feed, as 
well as the one at the stable hour when left for the night, and to all 
appearance in a state of perfect health. On Wednesday morning 
she, for the first time, refused her food. She appeared to be very 
weak, and the owner bled her ; after which he was much afraid that 
she could not be got into the stable again. She become gradually 
weaker during the day, and, on Thursday morning, 1 was sent for. 
When I saw her she was standing, all her legs tottering under 
her, and apparently threatening that, every moment, they would 
yield up their office, — a threat which was not long before it was 
executed; for while feeling her pulse, she suddenly staggered 
forwards two or three yards, and fell ; and although she made 
several efforts to recover the erect position, they were all ineffec- 
tual. About ten minutes after she had fallen, and when sufficient 
time had, as I thought, been allowed for the system to have reco- 
vered in some degree from the effects of her recent struggles, I 
again felt her pulse at the submaxillary artery; but it was so 
very small and weak, that I could not with any degree of preci- 
sion count the number of the beatings. She lay in a perfectly 
comatose state, with her mouth wide open, her tongue protruded, 
and the lower lip pendulous; and almost appearing as if in a 
state of paralysis. Her respiration seemed, at times, suddenly 
to have ceased, and, to all appearance, she was actually dead. I 
must not omit to state that, when standing, her breathing was not 
