TRANSLATIONS FROM CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 
553 
six litres of purulent fluid, of an offensive odour, escaped from 
it, in which w r ere found a great quantity of fibrinous clots; 
the heart was covered w 7 ith a thick layer of plastic exudation, 
the same existed on the inside of the pericardium, which had 
a mammilated aspect; two strong, abnormal, adherent bands 
attached the heart to the pericardium. One was flat, about 
fifteen centimeters in length, seven in breadth, and three in 
thickness, stretching from one side to the other; the second 
was of a cylindrical form, and descended vertically from the 
apex of the heart. These bands, which fixed the heart to 
the pericardium and the fluid contained in it, explain suffi¬ 
ciently the absence of the shock of the heart against the 
side. 
FRACTURE OF THE CRANIUM IN A FOAL. 
By M. Foelen, V.S., St. Trond. 
A foal, tw T o months old, received a kick from a horse on 
the head, by w'hich it w 7 as stunned. It remained motionless, 
extended on the litter, for two hours, after which, on trying to 
get up, it tumbled about, and always on the side of the blow 7 . 
It w r as therefore necessary to keep it lying down to prevent 
its falling, and it also appeared to have lost the pow T er of dis¬ 
tinguishing surrounding objects. A large swelling w T as per¬ 
ceived under the right ear, w here it was found that a piece of 
bone, the size of five centimes, was driven in. The attitude 
of the foal showed that this pressed on the brain, and that 
an operation was necessary; to accomplish this the foal was 
held by assistants, and an incision of the shape of a T was 
made by the author in the centre of the swelling; the parts 
being reflected back, the depressed bone w 7 as raised to its 
level by a strong hook carefully introduced under the edge ; 
the closing of the skin by twisted sutures concluded the 
operation. Cold w T ater w r as applied to the head. In about a 
quarter of an hour after the operation the foal got up, w alked 
a few steps, and fell down again. As he evinced no appetite, 
a little milk was forced dow n his throat. The next morning 
it got up and walked away, but still turning to the right; it 
drank spontaneously, but w 7 as only allowed some milk, with 
an addition of w 7 ater and a little meal. The few first days 
after the operation the sight was still imperfect, but improved 
dailv. The cold lotions were continued for a week. The 
foal improved greatly up to the fifteenth day after the operation, 
at w 7 hich time a stiffness in the limbs w 7 as perceived, to w hich 
