35 
CALCULUS IN THE COLON. 
By Mr, W. C. Spooner, V. S., Winchester. 
On the evening of the 30th of July, an old horse, belonging 
to Mr. Budd, miller, in this city, was brought to my stables. 
He had been attacked several times during the day with symp¬ 
toms of colic, and was inclined to lie down on his way up the 
street. Pulse 48. I administered an antispasmodic draught, 
soon after which he appeared to shiver very much ; a little 
exercise, however, removed this, and in the course of an hour 
he appeared much better, and quite free from pain, but would 
not eat his mash. 
August Is^.—Has had another attack this morning, and we 
could not discover that any dung had passed during the night. 
He was raked, but only a small quantity of hardened faeces 
could be obtained. An injection was thrown up, twelve pounds 
of blood abstracted, and ol. ricini ^x, aloes ^v, administered. 
I thought perhaps the mischief might arise from a collection of 
faecal matter, and with this view I gave (by the advice of the 
French) antim. tart, in oil, twice during the day. He had 
several attacks in the course of the day, and in the evening the 
pulse had increased to 52. V. S. from, the abdominal veins, 
lb vi. 
August Sd .—Appears worse. Pulse 70. Nothing has passed. 
Attacks much more frequent, and during their continuance he 
will sit upon his haunches for several minutes at a time. The 
tartarized antimony was continued in larger doses, but all the 
symptoms became more aggravated. I expressed my opinion 
that a calculus was the cause of obstruction, and that the case 
was hopeless ; and in the evening, with the consent of the 
owner, the poor beast was destroyed. 
Post-mortem Examination .—The next morning, as soon as 
the abdomen was opened, I put my hand at once on a large 
caldulus that was wedged completely in the second curvature of 
the colon, near the diaphragm. It was completely circular, 
weighed five pounds two ounces, and forms a very fine and 
perfect specimen. Much inflammation was, of course, discover¬ 
able, but the fiEces were softened. The horse had been occa¬ 
sionally subject to attacks of the fret for a long time ])ast, but 
always got better without any medicine. The calculus was, 
doubtless, formed in the colon, and acquired its rotundity from 
rolling about in this large intestine. 
