422 
STRANGULATION AND MORTIFICATION 
which accounts, and as he appeared to be getting better, I had 
the injection, for the present, omitted. 
The remaining part of the forenoon my patient (littered down 
and made warm and comfortable with clothing) continued free 
from any symptoms of griping pain; and so was considered by 
us all to be recovering. Rather to my surprise, however, I was 
recalled to him at two o’clock in the afternoon, in consequence of 
a relapse. 
On this visit I found him in a state I little anticipated from 
his apparent amendment: the change had taken place in the 
interval of time while the man was away at his dinner, be¬ 
tween one and two o’clock. The horse was wet through his coat 
with sweat, which had evidently been brought on by the pain he 
had been suffering ; his skin had a cold, clammy, cadaverous 
feel; his pulse had got up, but it fluttered so I could not dis¬ 
tinctly count it. His look was wild and incoherent; his eyes had 
a strange foreboding stare ; his nostrils were dilated, and his 
breathing disturbed from pain. 
I had him instantly removed from the stall into a box; and 
well strapped with wisps and dry flannel rubbers, until his skin 
became warm. Next, I bled him: a large opening was made 
into the off jugular vein, and the blood was allowed to flow until 
he began to stagger; however, he not only staggered but sud¬ 
denly fell, before the pinning-up could be completed, and the 
consequence was that he lost about a quart of blood after he had 
fallen, there being much difficulty in securing the orifice, from 
the circumstance of his lying upon that side of the neck. Having 
bound up the opening, he was suffered to remain lying, stretched 
out at full length, he being evidently very faint from the venesec¬ 
tion ; at least, all that was now done simply amounted to offer¬ 
ing him from time to time some cold gruel, wetting his face and 
muzzle, and strewing the spaces about him thickly with litter. 
Thus, he lay perfectly quiet for about half an hour, scarcely 
moving at all, much less manifesting any pain or uneasiness, 
which made me feel hopes that this sudden and copious deple¬ 
tion w r ould put an end to his malady. My hopes, however, 
proved vain. For, scarcely had he recalled strength enough to 
stand erect again, than he re-commenced pawing the litter, oc¬ 
casionally striking his belly with his hind feet, cringing in his 
side, and looking back at his flank. His pulse was reduced 
down to 50; and the pulsations were very weak, although per¬ 
fectly distinct. Without delay, I had administered the following 
mixture in a quart of warm ale :— 
R Tincturae ojiii, 
Sp. tcrebiuthinae, ii a 5ss. 
