731 
PATHOLOGY OF BROKEN WIND IN HORSES. 
By Veritas/^ 
On perusal of Mr. Pallin’s essay in your last month’s issue 
I was struck by the remarkable similarity which exists between 
the explanation there given of the pathological condition of 
the lungs in broken wind and that given by Professor 
W. Williams, of the Edinburgh Veterinary College. Now, it 
would appear to me—I hope Mr. Pallin will excuse me if I 
say so unadvisedly—that the note-hook of his brother, who 
was one of Professor Williams’s students during the winters 
of 1867-8 and 1868-9, may have something to do with the 
originality of the theory which he there brings forward and 
claims as his own. 
Perhaps it may be that I am mistaken in my cogitations, 
and that Mr. Pallin’s amount of anatomical and physiological 
knowledge is still sufficient to enable him to form such a 
complete and beautiful theory as that at present under con¬ 
sideration—he it far from me to say that it is not—and if it 
be so, which I hope it is, it redounds greatly to his credit, 
and entitles him also to the admiration and respect of the pro¬ 
fession at large; but still the question of priority gives pre¬ 
cedence in the question at issue to Professor Williams, who 
has, at least for the past two sessions, taught his pupils this 
view of the pathology of broken wind. 
I believe Professor AV. Williams to be the first gentleman 
in the profession who has taught and given to the public this, 
which I believe to be the only true, rational, and scientific 
explanation of the pathology of broken wind; and it is but 
justice to that gentleman that the general body of the pro¬ 
fession be made aware of the fact. With all due deference, 
then, to Mr. Pallin, I would say let us do justice, and give 
honour to whom honour is due.” I will here quote, as cor¬ 
rectly as I can, from my few imperfect notes of Professor 
Williams’s lectures, his words to us when lecturing upon the 
above subject. They are as follows :—In all cases of broken 
wind, without exception, you have derangement of the 
stomach, and it will be more or less enlarged. Primarily 
this disease is the result of indigestion, and the breathing is 
irregular from the irregularity of the nervous force ; but it is 
worst when the stomach is full, when it sometimes takes on a 
spasmodic action. The bronchial tubes and air-cells have a 
certain contractile power in virtue of the muscular fibre 
which they contain ; and in the healthy action of the lungs 
