CONCUSSION OF THE BRAIN. 
310 
an hour. In that interval a man cut the bars of his mouth ; a 
little blood flowed, but at the expiration of the time abovemen- 
tioned he was so far raised as to enable them to bleed him. The 
blood was allowed to flow upon the ground, therefore the quantity 
could not be ascertained ; but it was conjectured to be from five 
to six quarts. By the aid of several men he was got upon his 
legs, and kept standing for some time; when they succeeded 
in assisting him to the stable, about a hundred yards from the 
place where the accident happened. 
12 a. m. —He had scarcely reached the stable when I arrived. 
His pulse was now 40; his head drooped as if he had lost all 
sensation. They were applying cold water to his head, and the 
same number of men were still required upon both sides of him. 
I immediately ordered him into the slings, and hot fomentations 
to be applied to his head and neck, which gave relief. This 
was continued for twelve hours. 
I may here observe that, by way of experiment, I took a sponge 
filled with cold water, and wetted the head with it, which caused 
the former symptoms of coma to return. I instantly abandoned the 
use of it. It would seem, then, that warm water should be always 
had recourse to in injuries of the brain; and, in this case, there 
seemed to be concussion of that organ: what will confirm this 
opinion is, that the masseter muscle had been contused, as ap¬ 
peared by the swelling of it afterwards. 
Barb, aloes 3vi were now given; and when the warm fomenta¬ 
tions lost their power, mustard was applied extensively on the 
superior part of the neck. This gave pain, and caused him to 
throw his head about in every direction for the space of an 
hour. No further excitement could be produced during the same 
evening by the re-application of the cold water. I now had the 
mustard washed off, and ointment of cantharides substituted, and 
bled him to the amount of two quarts, when his pulse became 
imperceptible. 
The following morning the ointment was re-applied, not having- 
acted ; the pulse was 60 and full; the other symptoms had not 
improved. I again bled him till I could perceive no vibration of 
the maxillary artery, at which period I had obtained six quarts. 
Linseed oil §xii was then administered. 
He took through the day a small quantity of bran mash and 
hay, but still kept lowering his head into the manger, unless 
. excited. 
In the evening the pulse was 60, and it had gained strength ; I 
therefore abstracted three quarts of blood. Clysters had been given 
from the first, at intervals of a few hours. His bowels became 
relaxed, and continued so foi two days. The action of the blister 
