162 
A SUPPOSED CASE OF HYDROCEPHALUS IN A 
COLT. 
By Mr. C. Snewing, Rugby. 
January 28, 1839.—A YEARLING (off) colt has, for the last 
three or four days, been noticed by its owner to be rather dull and 
moping, and less anxious after his fodder. Being made to move 
suddenly and rapidly, he stumbled, dropped on his knees, recovered 
himself, moved on a few paces, stopped, gazed stedfastly upon the 
ground, and then fell into a quiet doze. 
I at once recognized the similitude of symptoms between the pre¬ 
sent case and those produced by the hydatid on the brain of the 
sheep. I had in both the same kind of vertigo, the stumbling, va¬ 
cillating gait, and the same kind of coma succeeding it, without the 
delirium of fever. 
But, to return, viewing this disease as one of effusion or abnor¬ 
mal growth within the cranial parietes, and marking the slight in¬ 
crease of pulse, somewhat disturbed respiration, great torpor of the 
bowels, and high condition (as regards flesh), 1 opened the right 
jugular vein, and abstracted eighteen or twenty pounds of blood. 
In fact, I suffered the stream to flow until I had produced symptoms 
of approaching syncope. I then gave a strong aloetic purge in 
combination with one drachm of calomel, inserted a seton over one 
side the poll, and applied a strong blister over the other. 
29A.—No alteration nor action from the bowels; appetite im¬ 
paired. I abstracted 8 lbs. more of blood, and ordered that ene- 
mata should be had recourse to, and the following medicine to be 
given daily, in the form of a ball:—4 drachm of pulverized digitalis, 
\ drachm of calomel, 10 grains of the hydriodate of potassa, and 
two drachms of the nitrate of potassa.—^My patient was nine miles 
from me, and I should not be able to see it every day. 
Feb. 2cZ.—No amendment, nor has there been any marked 
action of the bowels from physic. 
Give immediately aloes Barb. Ji, zingib. 3 i,sapo q. s; and continue 
the other medicine. 
6^A.—No alteration nor purging action of the bowels. Give jiss 
of Barb, aloes, in solution; continue the other medicine, and apply 
an extensive blister over each side of the neck, along the course of 
the cervical vertebrae. Have recourse again to frequent enemata. 
10//i.—Bowels still remain unacted upon—the animal more 
listless and unconscious, and staggers more in walking. Give aloes 
Barb, jiss, ol. croton grs. xv, ol. lini octi. blended together, and con¬ 
tinue the exhibition of the other medicine. 
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