DISEASE FOLLOWED BY RUPTURE OF THE LIVER. 187 
ment for an injury received at the inside of the knee joint upon 
that occasion. The horse appeared faint, and was with diffi¬ 
culty enabled to reach his stable ; but had so far recovered 
yesterday that he walked to this institution, a distance of five 
miles. This was about one P.M. 
At this time the symptoms were as follow :—Pulse 106, 
not perceptible at the submaxillary artery, but very distinct at 
the heart; a peculiarly haggard appearance; respiration some¬ 
what excited; and a cold, clammy perspiration bedewed many 
parts of the body : both appearing to have been produced by 
the labour the animal had undergone. The buccal membrane 
was covered by a clammy secretion, accompanied with an 
offensive smell, was blanched, and of a yellowish colour. The 
Schneiderian and conjunctival membranes, are both unusually 
pallid, and also have a slight yellow tinge. The abdominal 
parietes were very tense, almost tympanitic, particularly on the 
right side, at the situation of the liver. The animal sighed 
frequently, gave evidence of uneasiness when the head was 
elevated, and the expired air wa3 unusually cold, but not 
offensive. 
The symptoms indicated an extraordinary diversion of the 
circulation to some organ, and Professor Spooner at once diag¬ 
nosed the case as one of softening, enlargement, and most 
likely rupture, of the liver. 
The prognosis was, of course, unfavourable. 
March 9 th .—The symptoms seemed somewhat abated, re¬ 
sulting from a quiet night, and perhaps the administration of a 
dose of liquor ammonise acetatis with sp. aether, nit. when the 
patient first entered the infirmary; pulse 90, and more distinct 
at the artery; respiration tranquil; depressed countenance; 
membranes as before, excepting that some few vessels were 
visible in the conjunctiva carrying red blood. Perhaps rest had 
caused a coagulation of the blood at the rupture in the liver, if 
any such existed. The legs and ears, as yesterday, cold, and 
the other symptoms the same as existing on Monday. 
Professor Spooner advised, and the proprietor consented, that 
the horse should be destroyed, and upon a post-mortem exa¬ 
mination the following lesions were observed:— 
The abdominal cavity contained a large quantity of sangui¬ 
neous fluid, mingled with many fat globules floating in it. 
There was very extensive laceration of the capsule of the liver, 
and under it at other parts were large coagula of dark-coloured 
blood; the structure of the liver throughout its whole extent 
was disorganised and easily broken down with the finger : it 
was also much enlarged ; and so extensive were the lacerations 
alluded to above, that an impression was created that in great 
