FRACTURE OF OS x\IETACARPI MAGNUM OF A HORSE. 727 
was seen to use the affected limb with as much energy as he 
did the sound ones, and now he was frequently putting con¬ 
siderable weight on it. The swellings of head, axilla, and 
scrotum were totally dispelled, and the sores healed up. The 
parts below the knee were assuming a more natural size and 
shape, the openings closed and cicatrized, with the excep¬ 
tion of one or two, near the lower end, which still discharged 
a good deal. Use being made of the limb, and the general 
health good, I resolved to have him out of the swing ” 
after a short space of time. 
Accordingly, on the 27 th, I had him carefully taken out, 
and he walked for five or ten minutes on a level piece of road, 
to the astonishment of all who saw him, putting full weight 
on all the legs, and the heel of the injured limb lowered to 
within about an inch and a half of the ground. The following 
day there was some improvement, and in three or four days 
more he could walk tolerably well, with the heel almost flat 
on the ground, and was able to lie down and rise with com¬ 
parative ease. Having seen him thus far I expected complete 
recovery ; but, alas! how soon our hopes may be blighted. 
Very late one night, about a week ago, a messenger came to 
my residence requesting me to see the horse with all haste, 
as he was now thought to be dying. Hurrying out with much 
anxiety I was extremely sorry to find him very near his latter 
end. It was evident that some serious affection of the heart 
was the cause of all the symptoms. Something had been 
observed amiss for two days before—dullness, loss of appetite, 
&c.—but the attendant, knowing nothing of the nature of his 
affection, sent me no word until the time mentioned, when 
he became suddenly very ill. Of course, all efforts now made 
to give relief were unavailing, and death took place about 
twenty-four hours after my visit. The post-mortem examina¬ 
tion revealed a diseased state of the pericardium, with as much 
fluid therein as it could possibly contain, tough fibrinous clots 
adhering firmly to the endocardium, especially in the auricles, 
and the lungs were a little congested, but all the other organs 
seemed to have been in a very healthy state. The only con¬ 
soling part of the affair was the chance now afforded for 
satisfying myself and others as to the exact state of the injured 
part. Bringing the leg home with me I dissected out the 
“ bone of contention ” from its strong encasement of cartila¬ 
ginous-looking matter. The disruption had been very exten¬ 
sive indeed, and affecting two distinct parts of the bone. 
In the first place the lines of fracture were easily traced 
down each side, both starting very near the superior articu¬ 
lating surface, with fully an inch between them at the upper 
