RE-ABSORPTION OF PUS IN STRANGLES, 
G41 
On the 20th of June, Mr. H. came to me and told me that the 
colt was in a very bad way again, for, says he, "‘he is gone very 
thin within the course of the last seven or eight days, and gets 
weaker and thinner every day ; he has also a very severe cough, 
with little appetite.” He requested me to go and see him. I 
was astonished to find him wasted to skin and bone, and so weak 
that he could scarcely stand, and he straddled and staggered in 
attempting to walk. On applying my hand to his loins and along 
the spine, it gave him much pain. He shrunk in such a manner that 
it was with great difficulty we prevented him from falling; and, 
on turning him round short and rather quick, he fell on his side. 
On fully examining his loins, after w’e had got him on his legs, I 
perceived about the third dorsal vertebra, on the left side, a 
swelling, or, rather, the portion of the loin stood considerably 
higher than on the other side. He evinced great pain when 
pressed on this part. It could not be ascertained that he had 
ever received any inj ury there. The field in which he had been pas¬ 
tured was nearly a level one, with plenty of grass to feed on. He 
had never broken out of the pasture, nor had any thing been done 
to injure him that we could in the slightest degree suspect. 
General symptoms.^)A\?> urine was evacuated not often, nor 
in small quantities, nor of a higher colour than usual, but he, 
every five minutes, stood stretching himself with his fore feet far 
extended from the hind ones, as if going to void urine, although 
none came—in my opinion, shewing evident signs of pain in the 
dorsal portion of the spine, or its immediate neighbourhood. The 
pulse was quick, but feeble,—quite characteristic of debility ; the 
respiration moderate ; but, if the colt was disturbed, then both the 
pulse and the breathing increased to an alarming degree. 
Under and between the jaws, I found another small tumour 
about the size of a pullet’s egg. On opening it a glairy yellow 
matter escaped. 
I considered all these affections to be the result of the re-absorp¬ 
tion of the pus or virus of strangles, as the small tumour proved 
plainly that it was the undischarged remains of the first attack, and 
which had not been sufficiently cleared from the system. I was 
also apprehensive that a deposit of the same nature had taken 
place, or was about to take place, in or near the loins or kidneys, 
and the cough seemed to prognosticate that the lungs were not 
altogether safe. 
1 commenced my treatment by inserting a large rowel between 
the jaws in the situation of the tumour, and I anointed it with 
blister ointment. I also applied a strong stimulating liniment 
(nearly as powerful as a blister) all over the loins once every day, 
placing a new sheep’s skin over them, and would have inserted 
VOL. xr. 4 Q 
