SOCIETY MEETINGS. 
537 
tion of revising the by-laws was then discussed, and a committee for that purpose 
was then formed, consisting of the following gentlemen : Howe, Blanchard, 
Whitehead, Youkerman, Hillock and Colton; who were requested to report at 
the next meeting. 
Dr. Hillock, of Columbus, Avas then called upon to read a communication on 
a case of “diaphragmatic hernia,” which came under his notice. When first 
called upon to see the animal, he was showing well-marked symptoms of acute 
indigestion, viz.—eructation of gases, tympany, pulse and respiration acceler¬ 
ated, and perspiring freely, which was followed soon after by sitting on the 
haunches. Pie treated it for the above troubles, and under the treatment pur¬ 
sued, he apparently recovered so that on the morning of the fifth (5th) day was 
eating, respiration, pulse and temperature normal. But at 4 p. m. the same 
day was taken suddenly ill again, perspiring profusely, and sitting on the haunches, 
which finally ended in the death of the animal the same evening. Upon hold¬ 
ing a post-mortem, twenty feet of the small intestines were found in the chest, 
through a hernia in the middle portion of the diaphragm, and came to the con¬ 
clusion that the hernia either existed prior to his illness altogether, from the severe 
exertion the animal had undergone, or shortly after the sickiiess began. This 
paper brought forth an animated discussion. 
The question astohowmuch morphia, hypodermically, an animal could stand, 
w T as then brought up. Dr. Hillock, the essayist, said he had experimented on a 
case, and gave 35 grains at one injection at night, and found the animal eating hay 
in the morning. Others thought they got too much effect from 3 to 5 grain doses. 
The virtues of opium and chloroform were then discussed as to their effects in 
tympanitis, and also the astringency or non-astringency of opium in diarrhoea. 
The majority decided it was non-astringent, but dessicant, and soother of the 
nervous system. 
The operation of “paracentesis abdominis” in tympanitis was then warm¬ 
ly discussed. Dr. Newton related a case in a horse of his own, which took 
sick on the road (while out to see a patient) with flatulent colic, which he 
punctured seven times, and on both sides, with success. Dr. Waddel related a 
case in a mule where he punctured eight times, and on both sides, with success. 
Nearly all present related cases of a similar character, and all except two or three 
were in favor of the operation, and decided it did no harm when done early and 
with a proper instrument, except occasionally the formation of an abscess, which 
Dr. Howe thought might be prevented by clipping the hair, and making an in¬ 
cision through the skin with the scalpel before inserting the trocar and cannula. 
Dr. Crotty asked which portion of the intestines they punctured, and it was de¬ 
cided to be the colon. 
Dr. Fair then related an interesting case of “ tetanus ” in a Canadian pony, 
which came under his observation, in which there was not only trismus but 
almost complete rigidity of the muscular system. The case, under appropriate 
treatment, was recovering nicely, when the groom took the liberty to lead it out 
by the halter, when the symptoms returned with greater severity, and ended in 
the death of the animal. The mode of death in such cases was then discussed. 
Dr. Fair thought the case in question died from asphyxia. Dr. Youkerman 
thought it might have been effusion into ventricles of the brain, and Dr. Garrison 
that it might have been due to an ante mortem clot of a fibrinous character, but 
the majority concurred with Dr. Fair that it was generally, if not always, due to 
paralysis of diaphragm, inter-costal and abdominal muscles. 
Dr. Newton then introduced the subject of “parturient apoplexy,” and re¬ 
lated his mode of treatment and success of such. A lively disscussion followed, 
in which nearly every one took an active part, relating cases they had treated, and 
their successes or non-successes. Dr. Howe related a case where he introduced 
medicines into the stomach through a hollow probang, after the power of degluti¬ 
tion was lost, and saved the patient. Drs. Crotty and Butler related cases seen 
prior to parturition. Dr. Derr, of Wooster, volunteered a paper on “parturient 
apoplexy,” and Dr. Whitehead one on “ tuberculosis ” for next meeting. The 
