194 
RUPTURE OF THE COLON OF A HORSE. 
horse, the property of Mr. James Perry, of Chickiiey Hall, in 
this county, that had died on the previous day. After layinj^ 
open the abdomen, by making a longitudinal incision through 
its parietes from the pubes to the sternum, I commenced to 
remove the intestines, and in doing so was surprised to 
find their peritoneal surface thickly covered with ingesta, 
and a large quantity of fluid in the peritoneal sac. 
Observing this, I could come to no other conclusion than 
that a rupture had taken place in some part of the intestinal 
tube. On scraping the extravasated faecal matter from the 
surface of the peritoneum, I found that extensive inflamma¬ 
tion had existed throughout its entire extent, and particularly 
at that part of the membrane which is reflected over the 
parietes of the abdomen. I next proceeded to examine the 
course of the intestines, and in doing so I found a rupture of 
the colon to the extent of four inches; and, judging from the 
nature of this opening, I was inclined to think that for a 
time it was quite small, but had gradually increased to the size 
I have mentioned. 
Upon making inquiries as to the state of the horse^s health 
immediately previous to his death, I was informed that he 
first appeared unwell on the 19th, being about eight days 
before his death, but that nothing particular was observed 
about him beyond his having refused his food that morning. 
He was kept from work three or four days, his appetite still 
continuing much impaired, besides which, as explained, 
nothing was noticed to attract the owner’s attention. Mr. 
Perry, thinking that if he sent the animal to work he might do 
better, he was on the 22nd put to his usual labour, at which 
he continued up to the 24th without evincing any marked 
incapability to perform his duty. The horse-keeper, however, 
informed me that he scarcely ate anything from the 19 th up 
to the 26th, being the day he died. 
I further inquired whether the horse appeared to be in 
pain at any time during his illness, or whether he showed 
symptoms of being ‘ griped.’ In reply, I was informed that 
no continuous pain had been observed, although at times he 
seemed to be ‘ griped,’ but not sufficiently so as to cause 
any alarm, and that he passed his faeces and urinated as 
usual. 
All cases of a similar kind that have come under my notice 
have always been attended with considerable pain and uneasi¬ 
ness, such as is evinced in colic or inflammation, and death 
has always been the result in a few hours. But here we have a 
horse ailing for a period of eight or nine days with the whole of 
the peritoneum thickly covered with ingesta, and the abdomen 
