GASTRITIS^, WITH RUPTURE OF THE C-T:CUM. 471 
^ gentleman in this place, which had been, to all appearance, 
well on the previous night. Arriving at the stable, 1 found him 
lying down, with an appearance of stupor, not seeming in the 
least to recognize surrounding objects : pulse 40, and oppressed ; 
mouth hot; the buccal and conjunctival membranes of a deep 
yellow tinge ; great suffusion of tears; extremities cold, and is 
with great dilficulty made to rise. 
Trtjtment. —Abstract Ihx of blood ; aloe Barb, in solut. 5v. 
Apply stimulating liniment to legs, and bandage. 
Five —-Is much worse. Pulse 65, extremities colder, 
mouth clammy, great rigor: soda sulph. Ihj in solution, and an 
oleaginous enema, which was retained a considerable time, and 
then rejected, but free from faecal matter. 
Twelve p.m. —Appears beyond all hope of recovery; and I was 
informed early next morning of his death. 
Post-mortem, —On examining the stomach, the primary seat 
of the disease was plainly indicated, it displaying strong marks 
of inflammation, the whole of the villous coat being of a bright 
crimson hue, and containing a considerable quantity of soft food, 
but insufficient to produce distention of that organ. The small 
intestines v/ere healthly% with the exception of a slight blush ; 
but on proceeding to the caecum, we found a rupture or lacera¬ 
tion, about nine inches from the apex and about two inches in 
length, through which had escaped a quantity of half-digested 
food ; atid on enlaroing which, and bringing the inside of the gut 
to view, it presented, for some distance around, considerable 
marks of inflammation. The colon and rectum were quite 
healthy (the former containing a small quantity of faecal matter); 
as were the thoracic viscera and kidneys, the liver presenting 
marks of disease. 
lieiriarks. — Upon the above case I am induced to offer a few 
speculative ideas ; viz., that the gastric affection must have been 
coming on for some days, although not noticed except by the 
owner, wffio informed me that he found him falter and go weak 
under him w’hen riding, two days prior to his death. That it 
was probably produced by his having had indifferent hay for 
some time previous, thereby weakening the powers of that organ 
to such an extent as to render it unable to perform its proper 
function on the contents therein, frorawdiich they passed into the 
intestines in a state calling upon them to perform, in pait, the 
duty of the stomach. But how came it that the small ones were 
so little affected ? I was at first almost at a loss to explain ; but I 
find that some of our best veterinary w'riters are at issue as to the 
use of the caecum, Mr. Percivall stating, what I believe to be 
the general opinion, and what I admit I have generully found 
