442 
INFLAMMATION OP THE VEIN. 
Seven years ago, a three-years colt, the property of R. Yates, 
Esq., was brought to be bled early in the morning. An assistant, 
who was then with me, proceeded to perform the operation with 
a lancet, an instrument which, although I always bleed with my¬ 
self, I never, with my knowledge, permit either assistant or ap¬ 
prentice to use. The colt swerved, and by some accident a ter¬ 
rible gash was made in the vein. Both operator and groom were 
sadly alarmed, and the former burst into my bed-room to tell me 
the colt was bleeding to death. I hastened to him, and certainly 
the blood was gushing out at a fearful rate, and, to use the coarse 
but apt simile of the man who held him, was like a cow staling. 
I immediately commanded the flow of blood by making pressure 
with my fingers upon the vein above the orifice, and, having 
directed this pressure to be kept up, I proceeded to examine the 
wound. The incision through the skin was between three and 
four inches in length, and I could easily introduce two fingers 
into the vein. It required four pin a to secure the neck from he- 
morrhao-e. 
I had the colt taken to my own stable, that he might be under 
immediate observation. The head was kept in rather an elevated 
position ; the patient fed with thin mashes, and carefully watched, 
lest a renewal of the bleeding should take place either from one 
or more of the pins losing their hold, or from any other cause. 
At the end of five days the pins were removed, and we found 
that the external orifice was closed, but the position of the head was 
still continued. The owner of the colt wishing to have him 
home, and saying that every attention should be paid to him, and 
the gentleman’s residence being only a mile from Oswestry, I 
consented to his being removed on the seventh day from the 
accident. Early on the third morning after he had been taken 
home, I was sent for in great haste: the colt was bleeding as 
bad as ever. I gallopped to him, and found that the lips of the 
wound were separated, and there was a large open communica¬ 
tion into the vein. The man who had seen me stop the bleeding 
before was present when the hemorrhage occurred, and was press¬ 
ing hard on the vein above the orifice when I arrived. Being 
aware that nothing but obliteration of the cavity of the vein would 
permanently restrain the bleeding, I again inserted the pins to 
wait for this event, and certainly not without apprehension, lest 
the bleeding might occur when no one was near (although I had 
directed that he should be strictly watched), or that the inflam¬ 
mation in the vein might be so intense, that I should from this 
cause lose my patient. IVo further hemorrhage, how^ever, occurred ; 
inflammation of the vein proceeded rapidly and severely ; the tube 
of the vessel was soon filled up, and the pins removed. Great en¬ 
largement of the parotid gland, soreness of throat, coma, and 
