AZOTCJRIA, OR POISON, ETC. 
315 
I pursued, and some discussion as to the correctness of my diag¬ 
nosis. 
On July 25, 1879, I was requested by Mr. Ritchmond, of 
Pawtucket, to see his mare. On my way to the stable I got the 
following history: 
“ The mare is dark brown, seven years old, weighs ten hundred 
and fifty, stands sixteen hands high. During the last year, about 
once a month, she has had what I called inflammation of the kid¬ 
neys. The last attack occurred three weeks ago. A fortnight 
ago she had what I thought to be lung fever. I treated her and 
thought she was doing well, but last Tuesday the mare lay down 
and I cannot get her up. First,” said he, “ I gave aconite and 
belladonna, but afterward I gave 3 vi. of sweet spts. of nitre* 
every day for three days. Then, thinking she required a stimu¬ 
lant, I gave 3 iii. of the tincture of cantharides in a pint of water, 
for four days in succession.” 
At the stable I found the mare on her off side, moving her fore 
feet to and fro, but she had neither sensation or motion in the 
posterior extremities. The pulse was 96; respiration, 60; tem¬ 
perature, 107; the visible mucous membranes were dark brown. 
There was no swelling of the extremities, or of any part of the 
head or body, and percussion and auscultation of the chest did not 
indicate any trouble there that I could find, as she lay. On ex¬ 
amination I found the rectum filled with hard and dry faeces, and 
passing the catheter I drew about three gallons of thick, bloody 
and sour-smelling urine. Diagnosis: poisoned by cantharides. 
Prognosis : doubtful. 
Treatment. —I prescribed oleum lini one pint, soda bicarbonate 
3 iv., in solution every three hours, until § iv. should be given, lin¬ 
seed gruel to drink, and ordered the mare to be turned over during 
the night. July 26. Pulse, 80; respiration, 60; temperature, 106; 
the membranes are dark brown ; I emptied the bladder of about 
two gallons of urine, lighter in color than the day before, and less 
sour in smell; the rectum was full of dry faeces; very little sensa¬ 
tion over lumbar region. With slings I got the mare up and had 
the extremities well rubbed; she then tried in vain to micturate, 
and to overcome the straining, I introduced into the vagina a 
