190 COM PTE RENDU OF THE SCHOOL AT LYONS, 
A large draught horse, that had been accustomed to kick at the 
other horses, fell on his right side, and received, a little above the 
external thoracic vein, a penetrating wound, that was accompanied 
by some singular complications. On the first view of it, there ap- 
peared a wound three inches in diameter, and the bottom of which 
could not be reached with the finger. He seemed to be in great 
pain — the pulse was hard and quick — the respiration difficult and 
painful, and the appetite gone. In order to arrest the flow of blood, 
a tent was placed in the wound, and confined by a proper band- 
age. A bleeding to the extent of five pounds was effected, and 
the food restricted to mashes and gruel. 
On the morrow, the general symptoms were aggravated ; blood 
continued to exude from the wound — the resonance had almost 
ceased on the right side of the chest, and the respiration was feeble 
and slow. We suspected a fracture of the rib, and anticipated an 
attack of pleurisy. A new bleeding of five pounds was effected, 
emollient lotions were applied to the part, and injections were ad- 
ministered. The horse refused all food. 
On the third day the dyspnoea was very considerable, and the 
horse was evidently suffering much pain. A third bleeding was 
ordered, and the edges of the wound were scarified. The horse 
refused all solids and fluids, and shivering fits came on. Setons 
were inserted in the thighs. 
On the fourth day the patient was considerably debilitated. The 
pulse was small and feeble — the respiration difficult — the inspira- 
tion more perfect than the expiration — an evident gurgling could 
be heard in the chest — the sensibility of the skin was much dimi- 
nished, and cold sweats covered the body. A blister was placed on 
the chest, but it did not rise. On the morrow, the horse suddenly 
fell on his right side, and died a short time afterwards. 
He was opened half an hour after death. The first short rib 
was fractured towards its lower extremity. The superior fragment 
was depressed into the chest, and terminated in a sharp point an 
inch in length. The pleura was thickened to a level with the 
fracture by an accumulation of false membranes several inches 
around. The pulmonary pleura was covered with albuminous 
granulations, and the bottom of the cavity contained about two 
quarts of blood. In exploring the abdominal cavity, it was found 
that the right lobe of the liver had on its convex surface a kind of 
abscess containing concrete pus. It adhered to the diaphragm at 
that point. The abscess being opened, presented a wound half an 
inch in depth, corresponding with a similar wound in the diaphragm, 
and still larger on the side of the chest; and on pressing on the 
extremity of the fractured rib, it was easy to perceive that the 
wound in the diaphragm exactly corresponded with the form of 
