72 
REPORTS OF CASES 
VESICAL CALCULUS—OPERATION OF L1THOTRITY -RECOVERY. 
By Prof. R. Liautakd. 
On the 30th of March, 1880, a bay gelding, 7 years old, was 
brought to the hospital of the American Veterinary College with 
the following history: 
For some time past the animal, which enjoys apparent perfect 
health, has shown some abnormal symptoms in the function of 
urination. When in the act of micturating he is taken with vio¬ 
lent pains, and after passing some water, which varies in quantity— 
sometimes a full stream, at others only small drops, at times mixed 
with blood—he exhibits violent expulsive efforts. An examina¬ 
tion, made by Drs. Robertson and Lockhart, has led to the dis¬ 
covery of the presence of a round body in the bladder, probably 
a vesical calculus. 
On his admission to the Hospital he presented the symptoms 
already observed, and on rectal examination there was felt a large 
round mass, moveable and hard. The examination was accom¬ 
panied, on the part of the patient, with very violent expulsive 
efforts. 
A diagnosis of vesicular calculus beiug made, I decided to 
operate on him in the usual wa}\ First it was thought to use the 
crushing apparatus of Bigelow, but thinking afterwards that 
it might not prove appropriate to the large size of the stone, the 
ordinary litliotritor was used. 
The animal being prepared for operation, in the presence of 
Drs. Stein, Robertson and others, a catheter was introduced into 
the urethra, which was with much difficulty opened a little below 
the ischial arch. A long forceps introduced in the opening failed 
to seize and draw the stone through the meatus, and it was found 
necessary to crush it with another instrument. This was accord¬ 
ingly done, and two large pieces, with numerous smaller ones, 
were afterwards removed with some difficulty. The bladder was 
well washed, the wound dressed with an antiseptic wash, and the 
animal, much exhausted by the violent efforts lie had made during 
the whole time of the operation, was returned to his stall. A 
little blood passed through the urethra, but soon ceased, and no 
