534 
SPAVIN. 
ricini Jxij, tine, opii 3j, v. s. lb. vi; and I administered gruel as 
an enema. At 12 p.m. she died. 
Post-mortem examination .— Upon opening the abdomen the 
intestines presented no particular inflammatory appearance, 
except about the duodenum; but the abdomen contained four 
or five gallons of fluid mixed with a greenish matter which 
seemed to have escaped from some of the viscera: after re¬ 
moving the intestines, the cause of her sudden death was readily 
discovered. Her stomach was unusually large, and enor¬ 
mously distended with grass; the peritoneal coat at the great 
curvature was ruptured to the extent of about eighteen inches ; 
the muscular and mucous coats had also given way to the extent 
of about three inches. A corresponding opening was visible in 
the omentum ; a great quantity of the contents of the stomach 
had escaped, and lodged themselves between it and the omentum. 
After removing the contents of the stomach, the mucous coats 
presented strong inflammatory appearances; the cuticular coat 
appeared very thin and relaxed, but there were no bots adher¬ 
ing to it. 
The liver was extensively diseased—it was not more than half 
its usual size, and of a pale colour; the peritoneal coat was raised 
in many places, presenting an emphysematous appearance. All 
the thoracic viscera were perfectly healthy. 
ON SPAVIN. 
By Mr. J. P. Ciieetham, F.S., Edinburgh. 
I have been induced, by your kind reception of my paper ou 
Splints, to send you the following essay on spavin. It will be 
observed that the reasoning I am about to bring forward some¬ 
what resembles that which I adopted when speaking of splint. 
The hock of the horse is one of the most important joints in the 
animal machine, and, if it is not examined in a very careful way 
in the purchase of horses, this disease will not be unlikely to 
ensue after severe work. 
Anatomy and physiology being the best foundation of veteri¬ 
nary knowledge, I will first appeal to them, by examining the 
structure and function of the tarsus, metatarsus, and tibia. The 
tibia articulates with the astragalus by a hinge joint; but the 
essential point we have to consider is the manner in which the 
superincumbent weight is conveyed to it. When the leg is in a 
semi-flexed position, this articulation inclines imvards ; and in 
