130 
SCROFULOUS ABSCESSES IN THE KIDNEYS. 
unable to attend, several men attempted, under the instruction of a 
farrier, to effect delivery. At last, after pulling her—as the steward, in¬ 
formed me—nearly to pieces, the calf was taken away, but the cow 
was afterwards found to be unable to retain her urine, or even to void 
her fasces in the natural way. Soon after I came here I was consulted 
as to again breeding from her, which I advised should not be done, but 
that she should be fatted. This advice was acted upon, and I heard no 
more about her until last Wednesday, when I was again consulted, the 
steward stating that, although she had always fed well up to then, she 
had suddenly lost her appetite. Not seeing anything to satisfactorily 
account for this, and she being in good condition, I advised the steward 
to have her killed. On going to the butcher’s I found the kidneys in a 
very diseased condition. You will see that I have not made any 
particular examination of them, being busy, and, besides, being desirous 
that you should receive them in the state they were removed from the 
carcass. 
A.re you of opinion that at the time of parturition the kidneys were in¬ 
jured, and that suppurative action followed ? Is it not rather an uncommon 
case to find both glands so much diseased, and the animal still apparently 
enjoying good health ? I have been further induced to send you these 
specimens, as I was very thankful to see anything of the kind on the 
table of the Association on a Tuesday evening while at College, and to 
hear any remarks which might be made thereon. Any further informa¬ 
tion which I can obtain respecting this case, should you wish it, I shall 
only be too pleased to communicate. 
I am, dear sir, 
Yours, &c., 
E. G. Crowhurst. 
To Professor Varnell. 
Very little discussion took place with reference to the 
case, which was no more than I had anticipated, as the patho¬ 
logical changes which had taken place in the organs were not 
sufficiently apparent to the unaided eye to enable one to speak 
definitively of their nature. Being desirous of obtaining 
more information with reference to the history of tha case, 
I wrote to Mr. Crowhurst, requesting him to make further 
inquiries, and to inform me of any additional facts relative to 
the symptoms evinced by the animal between the period of 
her difficult parturition and that of her being slaughtered. 
Unfortunately, Mr. Crowhurst was unable to gain but little 
information in addition to that which he had already fur¬ 
nished me with, and which, considering the importance of 
the case, must be considered as being too imperfect and un¬ 
satisfactory. This, however, Mr. Crowhurst could not help, 
as he had seen the cow only once, and did not make a post¬ 
mortem examination. It is also to be regretted that the 
ureters and bladder were not sent with the kidneys, as an 
investigation of their condition would have added to the in¬ 
terest of the case. 
