290 
DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY.' 
chloral hydrate it was infused well diluted in the last ten cases, 
as proctitis and prolapsus recti was observed in the first four 
cases where it was infused at 125:1500. The formula used in 
the last ten cases, freshly prepared each time and infused at 
body temperature, was: Chloral hydrate, 125.0; tnucilaginis, 
75.0 ; aq. destillat, 3000.0, M. A great deal of this injection 
was thrown out again, and to overcome it the hand was held 
over the anus to prevent that occurrence. The narcotic effects 
of this chloral hydrate emulsion began to show all the way 
from 25 minutes to 1 hour after entering the rectum, appa¬ 
rently depending on the individual disposition of the animal. 
Thus lymphatic horses succumbed quicker than the highly 
bred nervous one, while the younger ones were affected most 
violently. Some sway to and fro, knuckling over behind and 
in front, even falling down ; others simply sleep soundly, snor¬ 
ing loudly. In all cases the chloral hydrate infusion was made 
in the operating room, as the writer feared that the muscular 
inertia would render it unsafe to lead the animal from its stall 
to the operating room. Chloral hydrate in a safe dose does not 
•produce complete and deep anaethesia, the patient reacting 
during neurectomies. The psychic depression lasts from 45 
minutes to 4 hours. The majority of the animals thus treated 
could get up soon after the operation was finished, although a 
decided want of coordination was exhibited, the creature sway¬ 
ing and knuckling. The 8th one narcotized with chloral hy¬ 
drate was down and unable to rise for 4 hours. In the first 
four cases proctitis plus prolapsus of the rectum followed about 
four hours after the chloral hydrate infusion had been adminis¬ 
tered. The mucous membrane was swollen and covered with 
little red points. One of the prolapsed recta was replaced some 
eieht times before it remained in situ . This same case dis- 
o 
charged a tubular membranous mass on the sixth day. One 
animal fed against the writer’s orders soon after it was returned 
to its stall was reported to attempt to vomit. He suffered with 
a pharyngeal choke, as it is so often seen when animals are fed 
immediately after they awaken from a narcotic state, at the 
same time easily avoided by keeping food and water from them 
for about one hour after they are returned to their stall. The 
explanation lies in the relaxation of the pharyngeal muscles, 
that is their wanting tonicity, as the result of which the bolus 
becomes lodged in the pharyngeal cavity. Quite contrary to 
the generally accepted rule to give chloroform drop by drop 
and with air, the writer follows the method described so well 
