392 
DESCENT OF THE OMENTUM. 
the colt down, and inflicted many wounds with its horns on its near 
side, from the shoulder to the thigh; and among the rest was one 
near the cartilages of the ribs, from which, upon my arrival, I found 
the omentum was hanging more than two feet in length, dirty and 
torn, with every appearance of its having been trodden upon and 
drawn out to its fullest extent. I immediately cut off the whole close 
to the wound, and with my finger put back that portion that was 
within it, and closed the wound by sutures. It healed in a fort¬ 
night with but a slight suppuration, leaving a hernia about the size 
of the back of the hand an inch above the level. The colt has 
since been at work two years, and suffered no inconvenience from 
its loss. Nothing occurred more than ordinary in the treatment of 
this case, except that, at the end of a few days, there was a con¬ 
siderable discharge of pus from the other wounds, and I thought it 
advisable to administer some tonic medicine. 
The following somewhat singular case occurred on the 31st of 
the last month, March. I was requested to go immediately to 
Mr. Norden’s, at Assington, to assist a mare that was foaling. Upon 
my arrival, at twelve o’clock at noon, I found that the mare, ac¬ 
cording to their calculation, had not gone her time by a fortnight, 
and that the usual premonitory symptoms had not been shewn. 
She was found to be in great pain at six in the morning, and had 
been straining violently at intervals. I first proceeded to examine 
the uterus, the mouth of which was perfectly closed. I could feel 
something hard, and about the size of a double fist, pressing upon 
the vagina, which I considered to be dung in the rectum, and ac¬ 
cordingly proceeded to remove it; but was surprised, upon intro¬ 
ducing my hand, to find it empty as far as I could reach. I could 
still, however, feel the same substance below or a little sideways 
of the rectum. From the manner of its yielding under pressure I 
at first concluded that it was pus. Upon carefully examining and 
considering the case, I thought it might be a fold of the intestine 
forced by some means into that situation. I first tried pressure by 
the rectum, but could not move it. I then placed the palm of my 
hand under it in the vagina, raising it at the same time as I pressed 
it back, when it was removed easily, and in two minutes she passed 
a great deal of flatus. She was much distended previously, but in 
ten minutes had voided dung four times, and was quite relieved 
from pain. My only treatment was to give, as a clyster, two quarts 
of warm water. After stopping with her more than half an hour, 
during which time she dunged freely, I gave 3 ii opii dissolved in a 
pint and a half of water as a clyster, and §iv ol. lini by the mouth, 
and left her with directions for mash diet, &c. and to be kept quiet. 
The next day, the 1st instant, quite well: since that time I have 
not heard of or seen her. 
