ACCIDENTS TO HUNTERS. 
379 
found the pericardial sac distended with blood. I next 
opened the sac, and having allowed the blood to escape, 
made a careful examination so as to ascertain what vessel 
had given way, but could find none, until upon removing 
the heart, I discovered a dark, ragged-looking wound near 
the apex of the right ventricle, sufficiently large to admit 
the finger, and which penetrated to the interior of the 
ventricle. Here was quite sufficient to account for the 
escape of blood into the pericardial sac; but the appearance 
of the wound contradicted the impression of a rupture of the 
heart itself; so upon making further search, opposite to the 
external bruise I found a comminuted fracture of the seventh 
rib, about three inches from its juncture with the sternal 
cartilage. The cause of death was doubtless the end of the 
broken rib having penetrated the heart at the time the 
animal fell, thus allowing the blood to escape and accumulate 
in the pericardial sac, until it mechanicall} T obstructed 
the action of the heart, thus, as it were, drowning the heart 
in its own blood. 
The cause of the fracture of the rib was some external 
violence, and might have been produced by the animal 
falling upon the stirrup-iron, or his own fore leg being 
doubled under him, and pressing against the part. Why I 
suggest these causes is from Colonel Harrison informing me 
that he examined the place on which the horse fell, and 
could find no stone or other hard substance likely to produce 
the injury. 
Two cases of fractured Vertebra. 
On November 25th, 1859, a six-year old bay mare, the 
property of Captain Dettmar, was ridden by him from our 
stables a distance of ten miles, to meet the Atherstone 
hounds. At the second fence the mare dropped with her 
hind legs into a deep ditch, and was unable to get out. 
W ith assistance, how r ever, after being in a considerable time, 
she was got out; and at first appeared unable to stand. 
After a time she rallied, and Captain Dettmar rode her 
quietly back to Rugby, a distance of nine miles. His ex¬ 
ceedingly clever groom at once came to the conclusion that 
the mare’s hind fetlocks had received a violent sprain, and 
proceeded accordingly to give them a good dressing with a 
powerful stimulating liniment known by the name of <f White 
Oils.” 
On the following morning he found the mare lying down, 
and upon her getting up, he noticed that she reeled about and 
