WEST OF SCOTLAND MEDlCxVL VETERINARY ASSOCIATION. 691 
plugging it, thus preventing the exit of more serum, the flow of 
which had been noticed to stay a few days before the animal's 
death. The external aperture was about the size of an ordinary 
goose-quill. The ribs were then carefully divided as close as pos¬ 
sible to the spine and reflected, showing, to our astonishment, the 
pericardium adherent (all round and below the seat of injury) 
to the rib. The heart and pericardium were removed with the 
ribs for further exaamination. 
The pleura bore traces of inflammatory action, with slight adhe¬ 
sions scattered at intervals over its surface. A small quantity of 
water was present in the thorax, but very little in the pericardial sac. 
The sheath was laid open on either side, revealing extensive 
phlebitis, the whole of the vessels being enlarged in calibre and 
plugged with lymph, which in some instances was degenerating 
into phlebitic pus. A large abscess, containing similar pus, also 
existed, the formation of which, from the extreme pain on pres¬ 
sure, had been anticipated a few days prior to the death of the 
animal. On carefully examining the lungs, Professor Williams 
discovered phlebitis to a slight extent in the right lobe. Further 
examination of the heart and pericardial sac brought to light the 
fact that the shaft had not only penetrated the pericardium, but 
also the right ventricle of the heart, inflicting a w r ound in the 
latter about an inch and a half long, and about half its original 
thickness in depth. The wound had cicatrized, its edges, which 
were hard and fibrous, having the parietal layer of the pericar¬ 
dium adherent through their whole extent. This layer of the 
pericardium was also adherent to the heart for some distance 
below the wound, the external walls of the ventricle being ecchy- 
mosed. Considerable simple hypertrophy of the left ventricle, and 
eccentric hypertrophy of the right auricle, with great fibrous 
thickening of the pericardium covering the latter, also existed. 
Case 2 .—Traumatic hydrothorax ; pulmonic abscess, and fracture 
of the third and fourth ribs. 
Subject. —A gray carriage horse in good condition, seven years 
old. 
History. —About 5 p.m. on the 25th November, 1870, the 
shaft of a butcher's cart, which w r as being driven at a tolerably 
rapid pace, came in contact with the right breast of the horse, 
penetrating to the depth of eight or nine inches. The wound, 
which was situated a little to the right of the cariniform cartilage, 
on being examined was found to be about four inches in width, 
by about eight or nine inches in depth, at least so far as could be 
ascertained, but as the animal moved very stiffly, I expressed a 
doubt that the shaft had penetrated the chest, the internal orifice 
