CONGENITAL BLINDNESS IN A FOAL. 
409 
was distended to double its size, and crammed completely full with 
food. I have little doubt that this accumulation was the cause 
of the attack, the peristaltic motion being unable to drive this 
quantity onwards, and whence would arise increased determina¬ 
tion of blood to these viscera. The exertion of ajourney being 
superadded, acute inflammation would assuredly be produced, the 
case not being promptly or properly attended to. The other coats, 
of the intestines, viz. the muscular and villous, were, as well as 
the peritoneal, participating in the general inflammation. 
I was now induced to dissect out and examine the rectum : I 
found it to be lacerated as before described, evidently produced 
by the foolish anxiety which prevails to remove the contents of 
that intestine by what is denominated back-raking. This 
operation may be and is necessary in some cases, but they occur 
comparatively seldom. When this operation is deemed ad¬ 
visable, the veterinary surgeon should not use force in the ac¬ 
complishment of his object. I may add that, in the course of 
my practice, I have seen several fatal casesarising from this pro¬ 
cedure, and have no doubt that hundreds of horses have been 
so killed. Nothing can excuse that disgusting practice of pushing 
the hand and arm continually up horses’ rectums, under the idea 
of “ getting a passage,” as it is called, which I have seen so fre¬ 
quently adopted by practitioners of the old school, when attending 
cases of spasmodic colic, &c. In the present instance, there is 
little doubt that the farrier was more ignorant than his poor pa¬ 
tient of the mischief which he had done, and the pain and misery 
that he had inflicted ; and upon my mentioning it to him, he 
said he was not aware he had done it: but his was a large hand, 
and the horse forced much against him. 
O 
I have sent you this case, as there appears to me to be several 
valuable facts connected with it; and should you consider it 
worthy of a place in your straightforward, unflinching, honest, 
and excellent Journal, it is at your service. 
CONGENITAL BLINDNESS IN A FOAL. 
Jlj/ Mr. G. Bakmr, Reigate. 
The following case occurred in the course of my practice. 
I have never met with a similar one, nor has my father-in-law, 
Mr. Edward Tu rner, in the whole course of his long professional 
career. I therefore forward the particulars of it to you. 
About a lortnight ago I was recpicstcd to sec a foal, a lew days 
