RUPTURE OF THE COLON. 
355 
body, and kept wet by the frequent application of water.—Six 
quarts of blood were subtracted. Hydrarg. submur. 9ij. given, 
and in the evening of the same day, ol. ricine Oij. 
5th.—This morning her bowels are open; pulse fifty-four, ap¬ 
petite good : gruel only allowed. 
6th.—Pulse sixty-five, and rather thready; anxiety of coun¬ 
tenance, restless, paws her litter: purging ceased. V. S. repeated to 
four quarts; clysters of warm water frequently administered, and 
fomentations to the belly continued. 
7th.—Pulse forty-nine, bowels regular, and appetite good : a 
small mash given. Dressed the wound withtinct. myrrh. From 
this date the mare did well; and on the 23d of May the wound was 
quite healed. The compress and bandage were continued some 
days. The mare returned to her ordinary.work on the 3d of June, 
and has continued well to the present date. 
RUPTURE OF THE COLON. 
[jBy the same.^ 
A BROWN mare, aged and fat, the property of Mr. Hugil, of 
Eston, was on the 22d of October, 1827, supposed to be ill of 
gripes. On visiting her I found she was subject to a complaint 
very common amongst farmers’ horses in the autumn and winter 
seasons, owing to wheat straw being the principal part of their 
food. So.prevalent is the disease in some parts of the country, 
that it has obtained the name of wheat-straw fever. The symptoms 
were a thready and accelerated pulse, laborious respiration, de¬ 
pressed and anxious countenance, excessive constipation of the 
bowels, with a great collection of hardened fecal matter in the colon, 
which I could easily feel by introducing the hand into the rectum : 
the belly tympanitic, frequent lying down and stretching out the 
limbs, but not rolling on the back. V. S. to four quarts, hydrarg. 
submur. 3 j. in bol.; and four hours afterwards aloes barb. 3j • in solu¬ 
tion ; raking and frequent clysters. The physic speedily operated, 
and the mare in three days got apparently well, and remained so 
until the 18th of November, when she was suddenly taken ill of 
apparent peritoneal inflammation of the bowels. I was not at 
home when sent for, but saw my patient at eight that evening, 
six hours after the commmencement of the violent symptoms, and 
one hour before-she died. Twelve hours after death I carefully 
examined her. On opening the abdominal cavity, I gave exit 
to a large quantity of a watery fluid of a deep amber colour, and 
slightly mixed with fecal matter. The omentum and bowels 
presented one general mass of the most intense inflammation. 
