626 RUPTURE OF THE POSTERIOR VENA CAVA. 
two and a half inches above the fetlock-joint to within a 
short distance of the lower end of the large pastern-bone, at 
which point I made a transverse one. These incisions being 
made, enabled me to reflect back, in a lateral direction, the 
soft structures from off the bones, by which procedure the 
branch of the metacarpal bone, and its appendages, were 
thoroughly exposed. I then amputated the limb about two 
inches above the fetlock-joint; which was effected in an 
oblique direction by a powerful pair of cutting bone forceps. 
The bone being divided, I had simply to dissect the detached 
portion from the main part of the limb, taking care in doing 
so, not to wound the capsular ligament of the fetlock-joint. 
It was necessary to place a ligature on each of the two 
arteries belonging to the detached leg, which being done, the 
flaps of common integument were brought over the surface 
of the wound, and secured by three sutures. Some damp 
lint was placed over the wound, and over it a light bandage, 
which completed the operation. No unfavorable circum¬ 
stances took place in the healing of the wound, which at the 
present time is nearly cicatrized, and the filly is quite fit to 
leave the infirmary. 
RUPTURE OF THE POSTERIOR VENA CAVA OF 
A HORSE. 
By Assistant-Professor Varnell, &c. 
As diseases of the blood-vessels of the horse, and especially 
the veins, are but seldom alluded to by contributors to vete¬ 
rinary literature, I am induced to publish the following case. 
It was forwarded to me by Mr. C. Page, M.R.C.V.S., and 
the course 1 am pursuing is with his sanction. 
It is not my intention to enter into any lengthened disser¬ 
tation on the causes which predispose veins to rupture, or 
upon what such lesions, when a predisposition exists, may 
immediately depend, but simply to record a fact, which 
may be available at some future time. Mr. Page’s descrip¬ 
tion of the case is as follows: 
“Banbury; August 12, 1862. 
Dear Sir, —If not troubling you too much, will you be so 
kind as to give me your opinion as to the cause of a rupture 
of the vena cava, which occurred to a horse that I was called 
