CASE OF OSSIFICATION OF THE RIGHT AURICLE OF THE HEART OF A HORSE.

By Mr. W. THACKER, M.R.C.V.S., Twickenham.

Dear Sir,

March 10th, 1845.

I HAVE forwarded to you a morbid specimen of somewhat a rare kind, I believe. I should imagine it to be deserving the name of ossification, although probably the parts involved have not yet become perfect bone. I have sent it exactly as it was removed from the animal, so that you may make a correct examination of it.

The subject whence it was taken was a dray horse, the property of the Messrs. Farnells, of Isleworth, and had been in their possession nine years, having been purchased when three years old. He was of rather a nervous temperament, but in other respects nothing was observed to be amiss with him until within the last few months, when he evinced fatigue after a long journey, which he had never done previously. About a month ago, however, his appetite became entirely suspended, and he appeared very languid. My attention being now directed to him, I found his pulse ranging between 40 and 45, slightly intermittent, and small both in the arteries and at the heart; diminished circulation in the skin and extremities; regurgitation in the jugulars; visible mucous membranes of a healthy colour; slight and occasional cough ; excretions natural, and breathing tranquil. From these symptoms, I pronounced him suffering from diseased heart, and that probably of an organic nature; but at the time anticipating an attack of influenza, which was then very prevalent in the neighbourhood, I administered to him a mild aperient, put him in a quiet place, and clothed him warm. On the following day, no other symptom having shewn itself, nor any abatement in those previously existing, I felt convinced that the heart was the sole cause of ailment, but I was still at a loss as to the particular nature of the disease. I administered diffusible stimulants, with, occasionally, an alterative dose of aloes; which treatment was continued for nearly a fortnight, during which time the appetite gradually returned, but the pulse remained the same, both in character and frequency. The breathing, previously tranquil, now became some

what quickened, but still it was not hurried; soreness was expressed when turned round in his stall, which daily increased, and he throughout retained the standing position. A narcotic agent was now administered, combined with the diffusible stimulant (viz., extractum belladonnæ cum liq. ammoniæ acet.), and blisters were applied to his sides. This treatment was persisted in for a week, but without the least amendment. He gradually lost flesh, and, as all hope of permanent recovery was abandoned, he was destroyed. For the week before his death, it appeared as if the pleura were becoming involved. The autopsy, however, brought to view a healthy state of that membrane, as also the lungs, with the exception of these last being increased in bulk. The heart, however, as you will observe, sufficiently accounted for his illness, though perhaps not so clearly for some of the symptoms evinced. It weighs fifteen pounds, and the right auricle is the part more especially affected. The pericardium, and the liquor pericardii, were in a normal state, as were also all the other viscera. Should the specimen and this imperfect description be deserving the attention of the members of the Association, I hope it will prove the means of eliciting more correct information on this but little understood, though highly interesting and important, subject.

I am, dear Sir, your's, &c.

Mr. Spooner. The state of chronic disease which the right auricle of this heart presents merits our attention. If the abnormal deposit yet wants the perfect character of bone, the ossific process has nevertheless decidedly commenced. This form of disease of the heart is rare, yet I have seen the change of structure of the organ much more complete, and the ossific deposit of far greater amount than is here shewn. This is a specimen taken from out the museum of the College, in which the alteration of structure has been so far perfected, that almost the whole of the right auricle has been converted into bone; and I remember the case of a cab-horse, in London, which was regularly worked up to a few days prior to its death, in whom the whole of the right auricle was found to be completely ossified. In such a case, it is obvious that the contractility of the cavity must be lost, and yet this animal, subjected as

he was to the will of its owner, and liable to have its circulation frequently accelerated, was enabled not only to exist, but to perform exertion with apparent ease. I was informed that during life one of the most marked symptoms was a throbbing of the veins, very perceptible in the jugular vein, synchronous with the pulse, and referrible to the regurgitation of the blood. This regurgitation is to be very plainly observed in many debilitated animals, and I have, with others, been accustomed to attribute it to a revulsion of the current produced by the contraction of the superior cavity of the heart; but when the right auricle has suffered such a change of structure as must destroy its contractility, we at once perceive that such a cause could no longer exist, and therefore the impulse communicated to the veins must be referred to the force imparted to the current by the contraction of the ventricle.

On cutting into this morbid specimen, I perceive the serous membrane of the left ventricle is acutely inflamed: to this circumstance, rather than to the chronic condition of the right auricle, I attribute the symptoms which were present prior to the death of the animal. Under a similar state of disease a man would have probably continued to live; but the horse is not able to accommodate himself to circumstances, being kept alive only for his uses, and his life is worthless as soon as his capability of exertion is lost. The care and caution the human practitioner employs in the treatment of diseases of the heart, the veterinary surgeon cannot exercise towards his patients, and hence, perhaps, instances of chronic carditis are less frequent in the horse than in man. As I perceive we are to-night favoured by the presence of Mr. Erasmus Wilson, I hope he will pardon me when I inquire, has he ever met with a similar case in the human subject?

Mr. Erasmus Wilson.-I cannot say that any similar state of disease connected with the human body ever fell under my notice. In man, disease of the right side of the heart is a rare occurrence. Hypertrophy of the left ventricle is by no means unusual; but the auricle is seldom involved unless the lungs are affected.

I perceive that the regurgitation of the blood into the veins is a symptom for which you have not a name. We denominate it the " venous pulse," which in the instance before us may perhaps be thus explained. There exists in the veins a considerable vis-àtergo, a force directed towards the heart, and in this state of the

heart the blood would flow freely into the right auricle. Having entered the auricle, no contraction of the cavity could succeed; the impulse of the ventricle would be communicated to the blood contained in the auricle, and thence directly to that of the veins, which might be the more marked because of the normal portion of the organ being called upon to make greater exertion for the support of the circulation,

CASE OF AMPUTATION OF THE PENIS.

By Mr. G. HILL, M.R.C.V.S.

Islington, March 11th, 1845. My dear Sir,-You will remember, that about a month since I asked your advice relative to a black stallion that had an engorgement of a portion of his penis. The horse had the epizootic prevalent at the time (now three months since), when the penis became drawn by the excitement which a mare occasioned, and he was unable to retract it. In consequence of its pendulous position, a deposition of lymph into its cellular tissue took place, and it resisted all means employed to reduce it. About twelve days since I applied a silver ligature around the end of the penis, which I removed this morning, without any hemorrhage taking place. I have thought you would like to shew it this evening to the members of the Association, and therefore forward it.

Your's very truly.

Mr. Spooner. This case is not without some degree of interest, though it is by no means an unusual one. The horse appears to have been a debilitated animal, for the two muscles running from the floor of the sacrum along the inferior portion of the urethra, provided by nature to retract the penis, are very pale and much wasted, having lost their function. Such a state of parts, however, did not prevent the organ becoming erect from excitement. If the penis be not retracted, mere gravitation of the blood will occasion distention of its vessels. I have known it to take place after castration has been performed, and the parts remain ex

posed and pendulous. Serous infiltration first presents itself— then lymph is thrown out-a general thickening ensues-and all hope of the organ ever being again withdrawn is dissipated. The importance of early and decisive measures, such as first making free scarifications, and then supporting the body of the organ with a bandage, cannot in these cases be over-estimated. On this particular case my opinion was requested a month ago; and I then advised scarifications to be made, though, from the length of time during which the parts had been affected, I said there were but slight hopes of any measure short of amputation being of benefit. I have repeatedly amputated the penis of the horse, and always with success. Mr. Hill employed a ligature of silver wire to effect his object; but my plan is, first, securely to fix a tape around the organ above the place where I intend to make my incision, and then at once to remove the diseased part. This being accomplished, I employ the actual cautery to stay the hemorrhage, especially from the spongy structure, taking care, by slitting up the urethra for a short distance, to keep that canal pervious. Animals thus treated have been known to do well for years after the operation. In the part before us, the external opening of the urethra is almost obliterated, and the integumental covering exhibits a tendency to ulcerate. It may be regarded as a case analogous to paraphimosis in man.

FATTY TUMOURS TAKEN FROM THE LUMBAR REGION OF A HORSE.

By Mr. N. FoWLER.

Ware, March 5th, 1845. Sir, I HAVE forwarded by this morning's train a mass of tumours, which I hope will be of sufficient interest to place before the members of the Association. I was first called in to see the horse on the 15th of September, 1844. It then appeared to be suffering from what I imagined to be inflammation of the liver. From the treatment I adopted, the animal slowly recovered, so as to be able to perform light work until recently, when it rapidly got worse; the hair of the mane fell off, and there was much constitutional disturbance present. Seeing no prospect of a perfect cure,