280 
STONE. IN THE BLADDER OF THE HORSE* 
quick, at others hardly perceptible. These symptoms harrassed 
him all the next day; and the only variation in the treatment was 
the frequent exhibition of tinct. opii in doses of Towards the 
evening the animal began to make repeated efforts to stale, with¬ 
out voiding any, or but very trifling quantities of urine; and these 
scanty discharges were attended with expressions of very consi¬ 
derable difficulty and pain. This led me to behave that there was 
obstruction either within the urethral canal or at the neck of the 
bladder; and with a view of ascertaining this point, I passed a 
probe, or rather catheter, into the passage, and endeavoured to 
force it onward; but this I found impracticable. On further exa¬ 
mination I found two fragments of calculus sticking within the 
glans penis, which I easily removed. This seemed to afford 
him some relief. However, I felt anxious to examine into the 
state of the bladder, which I did without loss of time per recUirriy 
and soon felt a stone within it, seemingly larger than a common 
hen’s egg. I made many strenuous efforts to displace it, and at 
length succeeded in pushing it into the urethra, but could by 
no means urge it beyond the curvature. However, its being 
forced thus far was considered to be a great advantage, inasmuch 
as the stone was in a more favourable situation for excision, 
an operation for which I prepared without loss of time. But suc¬ 
cour arrived too late; and the animal, worn out by unremitting 
pain, died before the operation could be commenced. Had there 
been an earlier manifestation of the nature of the complaint, the 
horse might, and certainly would, have been saved. 
On examination the stone was found within the urethra. The 
substance of the canal, through its whole extent, was very much 
thickened; its internal membrane in places ulcerated, as well as 
the mucous lining of the bladder, in which, at the inferior part where 
the stone mostly lay, was a perforation sufficiently large to admit 
a goose quill. This hole must have existed some time prior to 
death, for between eight and nine gallons of fluid, evidently highly 
urinous, were found within the cavity of the abdomen. The \ds- 
cera in general, and particularly the intestines, assumed the aspect 
' of inflammatory action, the natural effect of such a foreign and 
acrid intruder as urine. 
Mr. Cruickshank, professor of chemistry to the Ordnance, at 
my request did ,me the favour to examine the stone, and found 
it to consist almost entirely of calcareous earth. 
’ This case not only reminds us of the indispensable duty incum¬ 
bent upon us, industriously to investigate the symptoms of disease, 
and search into their origin and causes, but also presents us with 
a proof of the danger of delay when the existence of calculus is 
ascertained, lest it should be productive of such disease of the 
