EXTRANEOUS SUBSTANCES IN THE RECTUM. 
149 
oleaginous draught, and, as she was somewhat exhausted, 
ordered repeated doses of Spirit. /Ether. Nit., cum Spirit. 
Ammon. Arom. The administration of demulcents was 
also continued. 
On the 17th, the mare was considerably improved; the 
pulse and breathing had become more natural; she was able 
to stand for fifteen minutes at a time; was desirous of food, 
and inclined to drink freely ; the alvine and urinary discharges 
were healthy; her body and extremities warm; and she 
showed a disposition to be playful. But the lameness in the 
near hind leg still remained; and I may here mention, that, 
after a careful examination of the affected limb, I was unable 
to detect anything in it likely to produce this lameness. When 
made to rise, an act which she now could accomplish readily 
enough, she would be easy for the first few minutes afterwards, 
but would soon become very restless, shifting about, cringing 
on her legs, and would then resume the recumbent posture, 
in a remarkablv slow and cautious manner. 
From this period she amended so rapidly that at the expi¬ 
ration of three days her health appeared to be perfectly 
restored, and in a short time she became able to do a hard 
day’s work. Her lameness, however, did not entirely dis¬ 
appear until nearly another week had elapsed. 
II. Remarks. 
I was unable to ascertain how or when the mare obtained 
the extraneous substances discovered in the rectum. It was 
suggested to me that they had been maliciously placed there, 
or were administered in boluses by the mouth. But the 
circumstances,'when associated, under which they were found, 
rendered it evident that they had not been introduced by the 
former mode; and although there is a possibility of the latter 
having been resorted to, I did not consider it at all probable. 
My own opinion was that the mare had voluntarily picked 
them up and swallowed them with her provender, or otherwise. 
While in the possession of Mr. S—, her food consisted of 
crushed oats, but when at Manchester, she had both English 
and foreign beans; and it is not unlikely that she obtained 
the pebbles with them, for beans—especially foreign ones— 
sometimes contain a considerable quantity of such substances. 
At the same time it is well known that w hen the opportunity 
is afforded them, both horses and cattle will occasionally 
amuse themselves by chewing and sw’allowing stones, pieces 
of iron, leather, articles of dress &c., and my patient may have 
been guilty of similar malpractices. 
