AMERICAN VETERINARY COLLEGE HOSPITAL. 
371 
were ragged, it was irregular in its direction, showing conclusively 
that it was done by some blunt-pointed instrument, which in this 
case was the wooden nozzle to the syringe. 
VESICAL CALCULUS—URETHRO-LITHOTOMY. 
A bay gelding, about seven years old, fourteen hands high, 
was brought to the hospital September 2, 1881, with the follow¬ 
ing history: The owner had noticed that the horse for the 
previous two or three months would make frequent and ineffectual 
attempts to urinate; sometimes he would pass a small quantity 
and with a gush, followed by a good deal of straining. The urine 
was said to be high colored. A diagnosis of probable calculus in 
the bladder was made, and if such was the case an operation was 
advised. 
When the animal was brought to the hospital he was placed 
in a stall and very soon made an effort to pass his urine. He 
passed but a .small quantity at one gush; this was collected in a 
vessel and found to be very dark and bloody. The animal 
strained considerably after passing this urine. 
On rectal examination the bladder was found to be nearly 
empty of urine, but a hard round body could be felt in it. 
The diagnosis being thus confirmed, the operation of lith¬ 
otomy was advised. 
On September 7, the consent of the owner having been ob¬ 
tained, the horse was prepared for operation. Since September 
2, the horse had been kept on low diet and mucilaginous drinks 
in the shape of flaxseed gruel and tea. About an hour previous 
to the operation five drachms of chloral hydrate were given to 
the animal. 
The animal being secured in standing position the urethra was 
injected with tepid water, and thus dilated, a longitudinal incision 
was made through the perineum about an inch in length into the 
urethra just above the ischial arch. As soon as the knife pene¬ 
trated the urethra a small stream of water burst forth, thus 
serving as a guide to the operator as to the depth of his incision, 
and preventing injury to the parts from cutting too deeply. 
