14 
THOUGHTS ON HYDROTHO11 AX. 
I took away thirty-eight quarts in the first four operations, 
and at the two last two bucket-fulls each time. In this case 
the lymph impeded the flow of the serum so much that i 
was obliged to employ a tracheotomy tube of wide calibre, and 
I even enlarged the opening and introduced my fingers into 
the cavity of the chest, withdrawing quantities of floating 
lymph, the pieces varying in size up to fourteen inches long 
by six inches broad and one inch thick. When the tube 
was in I could introduce a thin twig a foot long into the 
chest before it came in contact with the side. The horse 
was evidently very sensitive to the touch on the side. I 
had given large quantities of alum, also vegetable and 
mineral tonics with diuretics, and the best of keep for three 
weeks. In this case I operated every time on the near side. 
The other side was free from effusion. At the commence¬ 
ment there was crackling under the skin all over the body. 
In all the cases I have operated upon I have found the 
fluid at first like in appearance to whey, and not very offen¬ 
sive ; but after three or four times it becomes thicker, and 
the smell is then exceedingly disagreeable. I always en¬ 
deavour to get away all the water I can by keeping the 
passage through the canula open, and making the horse 
move. When no fluid flows, although I feel convinced there 
is fluid, I infer that either my tube is not through the 
pleura-costalis, or else I am in contact with an adhesion, 
and I at once introduce the trocar into another place, and 
am not satisfied until 1 am convinced by air rushing in, 
which, however, I instantly stop and guard against as much 
as possible. It will be seen by my paper in the Veterinarian , 
page 323, vol. xxxiv, that I am not apprehensive of injuries 
arising from puncturing the lungs, nor from the admission 
of air. I have been present at the post-mortem examina¬ 
tion of a case in which both sides were full of water, yet the 
veterinary surgeon, who is a careful, close observing man, 
did not apprehend any such disclosure. I have been told by 
another veterinary surgeon, of a case that was working regu¬ 
larly and appeared in perfect health up to the very day he died, 
when it was found that his chest was full of water. 
Deductions. 
It will, I think, be altogether superfluous for me to 
demonstrate or to remind my readers of the self-evident, real 
and magical effect that clipping has upon the horse in health. 
Yesterday he was distressed by ever so little exertion ; he 
puffed and blowed and perspired if driven only at a moderate 
