248 CASE OF SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM. 
half past eight, o’clock, the spasmodic affection of the diaphragm 
still continued, though much moderated. The horse’s breathing 
was tranquil, and his pulse distinct at 50. I had him removed 
into a cooler box. About eleven o’clock the beating in the inside 
ceased altogether,having kept up full eighteen or nineteen hours; 
and with the help of a little tonic medicine the horse soon re¬ 
gained his usual appetite and spirits, and is now quite well. 
Observations .—This horse was evidently in no condition to go 
through so great an* exertion: he should have been pulled up 
when he fell with his rider, being then completely blown, and 
having had enough of it. To press him on after that to the end 
of the chace was an act, I cannot help saying, at once of cruelty 
and madness. It may be taken as a proof of a game horse, but 
it also shews the rider to be a very young sportsman : a little 
more experience may teach him to ride with more judgment 
than to beat his horse’s wind; or, whenever he finds that to be 
the case, not to persevere. Many horses are totally spoiled by 
being thus pressed to exhaustion—their mettle and spirit so 
broken that they will always shut ujp even at a short distance, 
and are never good for any thing afterwards. 
I quite agree with Nimrod and Brighton, that “ all horses 
who die from exhaustion beyond the limits of vital power, die 
from suffocation,” or, in other words, congestion of the lungs; at 
least this is most to be apprehended. In this state of the lungs 
we know that very little blood can be obtained by venesection : 
the blood will seldom flow in a continuous stream, and under 
these circumstances I think it is very proper to give stimulants 
and diaphoretics, with a view to rouse, to restore, to equalize 
the circulation — in a word, to create a re-action; and I know of 
nothing better for this purpose than the subcarbonate of ammo¬ 
nia, in doses of from 3ij to 3fs: w henever it is given, how r ever, 
the animal should have plenty to drink. In the present instance 
we saw it produce copious perspiration, and consequently a be¬ 
neficial effect. The pulse, which was before suppressed, became 
perceptible; and then I conceived it a proper time to bleed. 
Had 1 attempted this in the first instance, I think I should have 
failed to have drawn away any quantity, or to have done any 
good. But after the sweating had ceased, about eleven o’clock 
at night, the blood ran freely and continuous; and then, not¬ 
withstanding the distressing symptom, the convulsive or spasmo¬ 
dic motion of the diaphragm, still remained unsubdued, I con¬ 
sidered the case as safe, and out of danger. 
Dublin, April 9, 1831. 
