ON WOUNDS OF THK THORAX. 
43 
chest hermetically closed, even if the wound is a large one ; but 
perhaps I shall better explain myself by giving a brief detail of 
two successful cases of wounded chest, than by any lengthened 
description:— 
On the 29th of June, 1831, I was sent for in haste to see a 
strong cart-horse, that had been this morning gored by a bull. 
On my arrival at the place (ten miles from Oswestry), and going 
into the stable to my patient, it was evident, without further in¬ 
quiry or examination, that the parietes of the chest had been 
perforated. The horse was shivering violently; he was breathing 
with great difficulty ; and in each act of respiration the air rushed 
in and out of the wound wdth a strong hissing noise. He had 
been seen early in the morning quite well, and at seven o^clock 
A.M. was discovered to have received the injury. Upon proceed¬ 
ing to an examination, it was ascertained that there was a w^ound, 
nine inches in length, commencing behind theelbow% and running 
upwards and forwards under the shoulder. Having introduced 
my hand into the external wound, I very readily passed two 
fingers into the chest, and could distinctly feel the lung in a 
collapsed state. There was no heemorrhage, and it was supposed 
that the lung was not w’ounded. 
Being strongly impressed with the necessity of immediately 
cutting off the access of the external air to the chest, the wound 
w^as brought together by sutures, and then covered with pledgets 
of tow dipped in melted adhesive plaister,—pledget upon pledget, 
—till a complete barrier was made against the admission of air. 
When satisfied that this had been effected, a large compress of 
wool was put over the dressings, and this secured by a cloth pro¬ 
perly applied. The pulse was beating seventy, and the breathing 
very difficult: this last symptom no doubt principally arose from 
the horse’s being able to breathe with one side of the chest only, in 
consequence of the collapse of the lung on the injured side, from 
the admission of the external air. 
Eight pounds of blood were taken away, and five drachms of 
aloes given. 
I explained to the owaier—a very intelligent farmer—my view 
of the case;—that it was of the utmost importance that the wound 
should be so closed that no air could get into the chest; and, 
therefore, if the dressings remained firm, he should not interfere 
with them : but if any portion got loose, he should immediately 
replace it, and that to any extent that might be necessary to ef¬ 
fect the purpose w^e had in view. The horse was ordered to be 
kept perfectly quiet, and fastened so that he could not lie down. 
He was to have mash diet, &c., and three quarts more blood were 
directed to be taken away in the evening. The distance to my 
