780 
A CASE OF NEURALGIA, OR RHEUMATISM, OR 
BOTH, CONTROLLED, IF NOT REMOVED, BY 
THE NUX VOMICA. 
By Mr. C. Snewing, V.S., Rugby. 
A FINE cart (grey) gelding, aged five years, while at plough 
during the spring of 1838, was perceived to go slightly lame on 
the off hind leg, and which increasing, in a short time rendered 
him unable to work. Upon examination, an enlargement was 
found on the upper part of the right stifle joint, over which, at 
the suggestion of a farrier, a strong blister was applied, and 
repeated after the lapse of some few weeks. This second power- 
ful repulsive step was followed by a sudden change of the pain 
and tumour to the opposite side ; returning, however, at intervals 
to its pristine locality, or often involving both at the same time. 
In this state, expressive of highly acute suffering, he was per- 
mitted to drag on his existence through the following autumn and 
winter ; its owner relying on the hope, that “ a run at spring 
would bring him round again.” Spring came, and with it “ the 
climax of its ills” on this poor brute, his meagre frame bespeaking 
the wane of health and life. 
Help was at length sought after, and, on the 27th of June last, I 
was sent for to give my opinion. I found him down, and, after 
making some three or four unsuccessful efforts, he rose, but this was 
followed by a loud groan, and three or four convulsive movements 
of the hind limbs, succeeded by a constant involuntary “ catching 
up” of one or the other of them, particularly the off one. There 
also existed an extensive swelling immediately underneath the 
anterior projecting portion of the ileum on the near side. His coun- 
tenance and restless frame bespoke intense suffering. The pulse, 
taken in some of his calmest moments, ranged from 140 to 150 per 
minute ; it was powerful, and every vessel seemed filled to reple- 
tion. The breathing ranged from 60 to 70. No racer on the Derby 
ever evinced to the touch a greater firmness of muscle, and no 
greyhound, comparatively speaking, ever bore a deeper chest in 
proportion to his lank belly than this poor brute. 
In progression, a sudden twitching motion of the hind limbs 
urged them forward without any perceptible flexion of the fet- 
lock, and barely of the hock joints, and a short, jerking, extensile 
movement of the latter brought them to the ground. In lying 
down, he would first very naturally flex his fore limbs, and, when 
half down, a sudden and heavy fall completed the action, produc- 
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