REPORTS OF CASES 
769 
possible without casting - . Having been confined on a very limit¬ 
ed diet several days the mule was cast, and turned on his back. 
1 he ti act, which would admit a lead pencil, was explored about 
ten or twelve inches, probably opening into the coecum. We 
were somewhat undecided as to the best plan to pursue, but 
concluded to try scalding the walls of the tract with caustic. A 
cone of nitrate of silver was introduced and moved to and fro 
iOr about one half minute. The mule was released and returned 
to the stall. No bulky food was allowed, and but limited quan¬ 
tities of water, for several days. Nothing further was done. 
1. he tract healed promptly and kindly, and in a month the case 
was discharged as cured. A recent letter from the owner (Nov. 
-ist) stated that the mule has worked hard all summer and fall, 
and that the recovery seems to be permanent. 
PUNCTURED WOUND OF THE CHEST. 
By the same. 
On May 28th, I was called to see an eight-year-old mare 
that had been severely injured the evening before. This mare 
and a gelding had been playing in a lot and had attempted to 
leap over a picket fence which formed the enclosure. She had 
tailed to clear the fence, and coming down on it, a sharp picket 
had entered the thorax on the left side about the seventh rib. 
1 he picket broke off at the upper rail of the fence and a piece 
eight or ten inches long r mained in the wound. A physician 
who happened to be near removed it. When called the next 
morning I found a wound ntering the chest through which 
tnree fingers could readily be passed, and during each inspira¬ 
tion and expiration, the air rushed in and out of the chest. The 
wound was explored gently and a piece of the paling three 
inches long was removed. The pieces removed by the physician 
had been preserved and we were able to “reconstruct” the pal¬ 
ing with the exception of some small parts which may have 
been lost. 
* he temperature was now 104°, pulse and respiration con- 
