A CASE OF VENTRAL HERNIA IN A MARE. 
699 
After the patient had risen, we re-adjusted the bandage com¬ 
press, &c. and put on the truss with an additional bandage, tied up 
her head to prevent her lying down, and gave a small quantity of 
gruel. The narcotic effects of the opium were visible until seven 
P. M.; her eyes were often closed, and seldom more than half open : 
she was as passive if we pushed her as an animal asleep would be. 
During the action of the opium her pulse never rose higher than 36 
in the minute, but at eight P. M. it was 50, and much smaller. 
I sat up with my patient during the night, and at intervals ex¬ 
amined her pulse. It rose to 80 before five A. M. 
30//i.—I gave repeated small doses of liq. ammon. acet., sp. seth. 
nit., and spirit, camph. with gruel. There was no symptom of un¬ 
easiness ; the bowels acted well; and though 1 used enemata, I 
might, perhaps, have done without them. I attribute this apparent 
anomaly (the want of effect of the opium) to her diet, which had 
previously consisted of bran. I allowed two large mashes. On the 
night of the 30th, I sat up with my patient, but no untoward symp¬ 
tom appeared; the pulse 80, and small. 
Oct. —At noon I perceived a slight oedema under the body ; 
the extremities were warm, but the pulse was small and quick. I 
gave vegetable tonics and two quarts of oats steeped with the 
bran. 
2^/.—The swelling is much increased. I gave more tonics and 
more oats with clover. The bandages were unfastened this morn¬ 
ing, according to our mutual decision, and here I found evident mis¬ 
chief. The discharge from the wound was sanious, very foetid, 
and the edges of the wound were unhealthy. I washed the part 
with warm water, applied some digestive ointment, and, having 
fomented the increased oedema, bathed it well with a mixture of 
sp. aeth. nit., sp. vini et aqua. The bandages were applied looser, 
and she was fomented three times in the day. 
3c/.—Swelling increased. The mare falling off her appetite : 
extremities still warm, but not swelled. I gave tonics, interchanged 
with diffusible stimulants: her pulse was not increased, and the 
conjunctiva did not appear abnormal. She had gruel, and was 
courted by change of diet to eat; but the appetite failed again at 
night. I saw her again at night. There was evidently not much 
hope; no change for the better. I ordered fomentations, &c. 
4/A.—1 saw her again: she appeared more lively, but the con¬ 
junctiva was of that peculiar purple liue without being much in¬ 
jected, which I had always considered as peculiar to gangrene. The 
wound was evidently gangrenous. 
1 went to Harleston, and Mr. Rolfe kindly returned with me, and 
saw my patient. He at once pronounced her to be too far gone, 
but removed the sutures—fomented still more with hot water—took 
