360 
RUPTURE OF THE DIAPHRAGM. 
By Mr. T. S. Price, Rochester. 
A NOBLE chested bay cart horse, aged, very free in his work ai 
all times and the day never too long for him, belonging tc 
.*• S r trood ' having laboured under a severe "cough 
with discharge from both nostrils, for nearly a fortnight, appe- 
tite good, and performing his work regularly, was taken seriously 
ill on the evening of the 21st of July. The smith being sent for 
too^ five quarts of blood, and administered some medicine. In 
the morning, finding the animal no better, he repeated the vene¬ 
section to the same quantity. The day and night having elapsed, 
anc on the next morning there being no appearance of relief, 
1 was sent for. I found respiration extremely laborious, and 
the animal shewing great uneasiness by incessantly moving about 
in the stall. The countenance indicative of much pain, the 
nostrils not shewing that appearance which accompanies in¬ 
flamed lungs; the extremities, and the whole surface of the 
E ^ ,T dlte wann > pulse 50, and hard; bowels regular, appe- 
tue rather increased, thirst excessive. I gave those medicines 
which I thought calculated to produce nausea, and lessen the 
mart s action; and left directions to give a little green meat, and 
plenty of chilled water. 
I saw the horse on the next morning, and was much surprised 
to find the pulse up to 90, and soft. The respiration still more 
difficult, which I should have thought impossible had I not seen 
it: the animal considerably tucked np in the flanks, and shewing 
altogether severe distress. I felt satisfied in my own mind de¬ 
pletion could not be carried to any extent; however, I ventured to 
abstract four quarts more. 
The blood after being drawn was of a very dark colour, and 
without any separation of its constituent parts. I inserted two 
rowe s, and blistered the sides (both the rowels and the blister 
acted); and I continued the nauseating plan, but nothing ap¬ 
peared to give the slightest relief. In the evening I found the 
animal evidently sinking. Pulse 100, scarcely to be felt at the 
heart; and extremities quite cold, which they had not been be- 
tore. 1 now gave up all hope, and communicated that opinion to 
the owner. From the commencement of the attack to the death 
01 the horse was seven days. 
Examination . 
The abdominal viscera were throughout perfectly healthy tin 
diaphragm ruptured on the near side, as large as a crown piece: 
