FISTULOUS WITHERS. 
611 
No. IV. 
Fistulous Withers. 
A bay carriage horse, five years old, belonging to the Earl of 
Dundonald (late Lord Cochrane), was affected by catarrh, early 
in July last, in consequence of which I was sent for to Weston 
Grove, his lordship’s residence. It appeared that on the 2d of 
July, this being the 6th, the horse in question was delivered to 
Lord Dundonald’s groom from Mr. Dixon’s stables in London, 
and arrived at Weston (distance about eighty miles) on the 5th: 
he had coughed considerably on the road, and when I first saw 
him there was considerable discharge from the nostrils, accom¬ 
panied by general febrile symptoms. I treated him accordingly, 
and on my visit to Weston a day or two after I found that the 
disease had nearly subsided, but the groom pointed out a slight 
swelling upon the posterior part of the withers, evidently caused 
by pressure from the saddle. There was considerable heat and 
tenderness, but I hoped to be able to disperse the tumour by 
refrigerant applications; I therefore prescribed an evaporating 
lotion, which was freely used until Monday the 9th of July. I 
found, however, there was no chance of success by a continuance 
of such treatment, as the swelling, heat, tenderness, &c. had 
materially increased; I consequently changed my ground, and 
endeavoured to expedite the suppurative process by the use of 
stimulants, &c. 
July 1 1th .—This morning I had intended to open the abscess, 
but upon my arrival at Weston I found it had already burst. I 
removed a circular portion of integument, about three inches in 
diameter, that would eventually have sloughed away, and thereby 
exposed the cavity of the abscess. Upon examination I found 
that the integument on each side was separated from the mus¬ 
cular substance, for the space of about two inches, and that 
matter was lodged in the cavities thus formed. In no other part 
was there any depression, or sinus, or loss of substance; but the 
whole abscess was very superficial, although of great extent. I 
freely divided the separated skin on both sides, and thus gave 
egress to the collected fluid. The sore was dressed with the 
following application: R argent, nitr. 9ss, aquae ^ij, solv., 
and the incisions kept open by a portion of lint. 
12th.— The abscess appears to go on favourably; there is no 
trace of any fresh sinus, and all the matter has been discharged 
through the incisions of the skin. The escharotic liniment has 
produced a very thin eschar over the whole sore, which separates 
very easily. Repeat the dressing. 
