FRACTURE OF THE VERTEBRA IN A COW. 647 
which not having the desired effect, a second was given on the 
following day. 
The cow]still growing worse ; the milk abating from two gallons 
or more per meal to two quarts; the urine having assumed a 
black colour; the appetite being nearly gone, and the feces in a 
pultaceous state, and often ejected with violent straining, the 
owner grew alarmed, and sent for me. I found the animal 
labouring under the foregoing symptoms, with the breathing 
quick ; the pulse ranging from 120 to 130 per minute; and the 
beatings of the heart being as distinctly heard, and as accurately 
counted while standing at the door of the shed, as with the hand 
at the side. 
On further examination I detected a fracture of one of the 
transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae, which was unat¬ 
tended with any apparent pain when either pressed upon or 
moved ; and which I was led to regard either as a chronic affair, 
or, from the absence of pain, if recent, to be attributed to a loss 
of vitality or mortification in the part. 
I was now placed in a dilemma as to the treatment I ought to 
pursue. Am I to regard such a pulse as an irritable or sympa¬ 
thetic one, depending upon some local affection, as the frac¬ 
ture, &c. ?—or is it occasioned by more direct disturbance of the 
sanguiferous system, arising from an obstruction to the passage 
of the blood through some vital organ ?—or does it arise from 
actual disease—inflammation—of the substance of the heart it¬ 
self? These were questions which suggested themselves to me. 
The argument or the inferences which I drew preponderated in 
favour of bleeding; and, w'ith my ear to the side, I bled until 
I felt that the tone of the heart’s action had subsided. I then 
stopped, and carefully watched the effect I had produced, and 
had the gratification to find (though this was a transient affair) 
that the pulse immediately lowered to 60 beats in the minute; 
but in the space of two hours it had lesurned its former tone and 
number. I next proceeded to administer an aperient, composed 
of eight ounces of Epsom salts and half a pound of ginger. I 
administered an injection, inserted a rowel in the dewlap, and 
well rubbed the turpentine liniment into the loins three times 
every day*. This commenced at noon. 
At 10 p.M. I found my patient nearly the same; the ears and 
horns were warm, and the muzzle wet. I repeated the purgative, 
♦ In administering the drink, the white of the eye was completely hroua^ht 
into view, and I was forcibly struck with the stronj( resemblance it bore to 
the anterior part of the sclerotic coat of the eye in sheep that were affected 
with the rot. 
