REPORTS OF HOSPITALS. 
173 
Pelvic Abscesses — Death. 
A bay gelding, 6 years old, bought to auction, was some two 
months later found lame on the near hind leg. Having on the hock of 
that side a large bony deposit (spavin), he was treated for hock lame¬ 
ness with actual cautery and blister. About three weeks later, when 
ready to be turned out, his tail was found to be much swollen and pain¬ 
ful, the sheath considerably swollen also. The enlargement of the tail 
soon became soft, suppuration detected, and allowed to escape by two 
free incisions ; about one pint of pus escaped. Two days later another 
abscess formed on the right side of the anus, then another on the left, 
running into the pelvic cavity. Both were open, much pus escaped, 
and soon were healed. He was considered convalescent, when one 
morning he was noticed to stand with his hind legs stretched out as if 
in the act of micturiting, looking towards his flanks ; began to lose his 
appetite; pulse became soft, 48 ; his temperature raised to 101-f Fahr. ; 
on rectal examination a large abscess was found on the inferior face of 
the sacrum, which was emptied at once, with the aspirator, of about 
five ounces of pus. The operation being somewhat difficult, as it was 
found necessary to introduce the whole arm in the rectum before the 
puncture could be properly made. On the next morning his pulse had 
raised to 50; his respiration, 14; and temperature to 102. He stands 
very quiet. Rectal examination shows the abscess quite full yet, but 
having a tendency to run backwards, and become more superficial. In 
the night he fell down, and was unable to get up. His pulse was 70, 
hard and weary ; his breathing much accelerated ; his temperature, 104^ ; 
at 3 o’clock, A.M., v he died. During his sickness, general treatment con¬ 
sisted of salicylic acid, camphor and gentian ; local treatment to the 
abscesses. 
On post-morte?n, the abdominal muscles were pale, and showed two 
abscesses in way of formation near the sternum. The intestines and 
mesentery were much congested. On the roof of the pelvic cavity a 
large abscess, holding forty ounces of pus, was found, and communi¬ 
cating with smaller ones in the pelvic cavity and in the psoas muscles. 
The inferior face of the sacrum is laid bare by destruction of the per¬ 
iosteum and is carious. The large nervous trunks of the lumbar plexus 
are highly injected, and their substance look softer. All the other organs 
were healthy. 
Epithelioma of the Penis — Amputation — Recovery. 
A black gelding, twelve years old, was brought to the hospital, 
June 18, 1877, suffering with difficulty of micturition. On examination 
