352 
REPORTS OF CASES 
FRACTURE OF THE FIFTH DORSAL VERTEBRA AND OF SEVERAL 
RIBS FROM VIOLENT SHOCK.—DEATH. 
By W. J. Coates, D.V.S. 
As a case of rare occurrence as to the seat of pathological 
injuries, the following may prove of interest to the readers of the 
Review. 
A bay gelding, five years of age, belonging to a physician of 
New York City, was brought in an ambulance to the American 
Veterinary College Hospital, with the following history: About 
two hours previous, while driving along in a railroad track, the 
axle of the wagon broke near to the wheel and the side of the wagon 
came down with a crash. The horse became frightened, dashed off 
a few yards and ran into a coal cart with a terrible force, thereby 
throwing the doctor out of the wagon and the horse on top of 
him. After the doctor recovered himself, he freed the horse 
from his position, but could not get him to stand up, as he seemed 
to be paralyzed. The ambulance was then sent for and the 
horse brought to my notice. 
On admission to the hospital the horse was laying on the 
right side, his breathing laborious; pulse fifty, full and strong; 
temperature 98|° F.; he pawed much with his near fore leg. 
There was no sensation from the tenth rib back on being pricked 
with a knife. Trying to raise him in slings he would stand on 
his fore legs, but his hind legs would hang powerless; his neck 
presenting but little power of contraction, and his head slightly 
turned one side. 
Diagnosis: Fracture of the vertebral column in the posterior 
part of the dorsal region. 
Being informed of the condition of the animal, the owner 
ordered him to be destroyed. 
On trying to expose the seat of fracture from the side of the 
bodies of the vertebrae, the abdomen was empty, the diaphragm 
removed, but in the whole extent of the vertebral axis thus 
exposed no fracture could be observed. The researches were 
then directed from the annular portion side, and there again 
