218 
A COMMUNICATION. 
organ, they were very large, and their boundary walls, com¬ 
paratively, were very thin and attenuated. 
It would have been very interesting indeed if the cause, 
which, remotely or immediately, tended to produce this 
abnormally large spleen could have been ascertained; but as 
this is not possible now', nor, perhaps, never could have been 
discovered with any degree of certainty, we may briefly notice 
its effects, and see if they w’ill agree with the symptoms 
observed during the life of the horse. These may be considered 
as partly mechanical, partly pathological, and partly physio¬ 
logical. The enlargement of the hind leg may have been due 
to the pressure the enlarged spleen imparted to the iliac 
veins, thereby impeding the return of blood from the limb. 
But I cannot consider that the veins of the fore-leg could 
have been similarly affected. I should rather think that the 
swellino; of that limb was due to some disease of the heart 
or lungs. The loss of flesh and w^ant of appetite, 1 have 
no doubt, were due to the altered condition of the blood, 
which, as I have before supposed, w'as unfit for the support 
of the tissues. The paleness of the visible mucous membrane 
and the feeble and quick pulse are explained by the altered 
character of the blood, but more especially so by the large 
amount of this fluid that had found its w'ay into the large 
reservoir, the enlarged spleen, w^here it partially remained. 
The few remarks that I have made on this case may have 
a slight bearing on some of the diseases of this organ; but 
their want of detail as regards both the structure and function 
of the spleen, as w'ell as the description of the pathological 
changes that had taken place, makes them of but compara¬ 
tively little value; still it is a brief record of a very important 
and unusual case, for which we have to thank the contributors. 
A COMMUNICATION FROM THE REGISTRAR OF 
THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SUR¬ 
GEONS. 
10, Red Lion Sqtjabe. 
Gentlemen, —Allow' me, through the medium of your 
Journal, to express my thanks to. those members of the pro¬ 
fession w'ho have so kindly furnished me with the necessary 
information for completing the new Register. 
I need scarcely remind them how very important it is to 
have all Christian names inserted in full, and also that the 
Registrar should be supplied from time to time w’ith'informa- 
