RUPTURE OF THE COAT OF THE LIVER. 263 
and the entire structure of the liver was broken down and de¬ 
stroyed, much resembling in appearance broken up coagula, in¬ 
terspersed with streaks of pus: no vestige of its natural struc¬ 
ture remained. 
This case is only one amongst many that shew to what extent 
disease may go on before life is destroyed, when the change pro¬ 
ceeds gradually, when nature has time to adapt herself to the 
alteration; but when the attack is sudden and severe, she has 
not time to shift her ground, and soon gives up the contest; for 
the more sudden the disease of which a horse dies, generally the 
less the morbid appearances discovered upon dissection. It is 
astonishing with what extensive disease, not only of the liver but 
of the lungs and other viscera, horses will sometimes appear in 
good health and condition. 
RUPTURE OF THE PERITONEAL COAT OF THE 
LIVER. 
By the same. 
A coach horse, belonging to a postmaster of this town, was 
put to the coach one morning, supposed to be in perfect health. 
He scarcely went to the end of the town before he faltered, and 
was taken away and brought home; and a few hours afterwards 
he died. When the abdomen was opened, four or five gallons of 
blood were found in it. There was a large rent in the liver, from 
which the blood had issued: the liver was totally disorganized, 
very much enlarged, and had the appearance of a large tumour 
having formed within the abdomen. The anterior part firmly 
adhered to the diaphragm ; and its peritoneal covering was easily 
separated and in some parts was quite detached from it. Two 
days after the liver was removed from the abdomen of the horse, 
and, of course, a considerable quantity of blood kept oozing from 
it, it weighed twenty-one pounds. The subject of this accident, 
up to the morning of his death, was considered one of the best 
feeders and best doing horses in the whole stud. I could cite 
other cases of a similar description, but shall not take up more of 
your space on the present occasion. Although lesions similar to 
those that have now been mentioned are irremediable, even if 
their existence was known, still I consider that such cases are 
well worth the attentive observance of the veterinary surgeon : 
they add to his knowledge of pathology and morbid anatomy, 
are of great importance in physiological research, and will pre¬ 
vent his giving dogmatical opinions upon uncertain data. 
