THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XIV, No. 164.] AUGUST 1841. [New Series, No. 104. 
A CASE OF ENLARGED THYMUS GLAND IN A 
HORSE. 
By Mr. Joseph Sewell, F.S., London. 
June Ath . — I WAS called to attend a bay horse, with consi- 
derable anasarcous swellings round the chest and shoulders, and 
extending along under the abdomen. _ 
The history 1 had of the animal, who was one of good courage, 
was this : his owner had had him about four months, during which 
time he was kept in hard work and lately he had gone twice to 
Epsom Races and back. Subsequent to this, while working a job 
to Sevenoaks and back, he fell on the road, owing, as the coach- 
man supposed, to megrims, but soon recovered, and went on to the 
end of his journey. A day or two after, his owner, not finding 
him so well as usual, and perceiving some swellings formed about 
him, took, as he informed me, a bucketful of blood from him. 
From this period I dated the debilitated action which took place, 
and which terminated in effusions to an enormous extent in front 
and round his chest, round the shoulders, down the fore legs, and 
under the abdomen. The animal up to this time had always fed 
heartily, but never carried much flesh. On my first seeing him 
his appetite was good ; pulse 50, strong, and jerking at the 
heart; mouth in a healthy state. His appetite subsequently was 
alternately good and bad. A mild purge was first administered, 
which passed off favourably. This was followed by some mineral 
and vegetable tonics, combined, occasionally, with diuretic medi- 
cine, the effect of which, with repeated scarifications, had drained 
off and dispersed a considerable quantity of the aqueous deposit. 
But, after ten days, finding the general symptoms by no means 
alleviated, I apprised the owner that I considered some organic 
disease existed which rendered his recovery very doubtful, and 
that he had better determine not to go to much expense about 
him, as he was not a very valuable animal. The next morning he 
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