EXTRACTS FROM MY CASE-BOOK. 
131 
that period he was bled ten or twelve times. He lost but a little 
each time, perhaps not more than sixteen pounds in the whole 
(we were then making experiments on the blood), and he continued 
to feed well. When we examined him after death, no trace of 
the wound could be perceived except at the very orifice of it, 
where the serous membrane was of a white opal colour. 
Another horse, on which w^e made the same experiment, was 
killed six or seven hours after the wound was inflicted. We fol¬ 
lowed the trace of the wound with much difficulty. It w'as 
somewhat tortuous (doubtless because the tissues which lay in 
the passage of the iron had offered different degrees of resist¬ 
ance) ; and it was marked by a black line formed by a clot of 
blood. The pulmonary tissue surrounding that line was in its 
natural state—not a trace of inflammation could be perceived 
through the whole course of the wound. It is very probable that 
in a little time the clot would have lost its colour, and would have 
at length entirely disappeared. 
The following consequences seem to result from the considera¬ 
tion of these experiments;—that we ought always to avoid the 
introduction of air into the thoracic cavity, and therefore should 
never probe or sound w’ounds in the chest; and that we ought not to 
attempt to evacuate the blood which may be effused in the 
pleural cavities, although it may exist in a very considerable 
quantity, because that blood will be absorbed, if it has not been 
long in contact w ith the air ; and also because the effort to eva¬ 
cuate it would be fruitless, the blood coagulating very shortly 
after it is effused. 
Journal, Sep, 1834. 
EXTRACTS FROM MY CASE-BOOK. 
Bi/ iWr. Simpson, V.S. 
No. XIII. 
NEUROTOMY. 
1834. Sep. 24.—A bay mare, four years old. The patient 
became suddenly lame in the near fore leg, when at work six or 
seven months ago. In five weeks after this the off leg became 
equally affected, and the lameness has continued in both legs 
until the present time. The hoofs ])resent the appearance of 
being extremely well formed, having a moderately concave and 
nearly circular sole, with a prominent frog, well defined bars, 8cc. 
Around the front of each there is, however, an indentation or 
ring; and, on more minute examination, the horn is hard and 
