On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
Mr Farrall, an Irish veterinary surgeon, has published in the Dublin Quarterly Journal of Medical Science, a report of his successful experience in the transfusion of blood in the horse, in diseases attended with low vital action The practice had reference to an epidemic prevalent near Dublin last year, of the nature of influenza, but of a low typhoid character, so debilitating in its influence as to entirely prostrate in strength the most healthy and vigorous horses in a few hours after the appearance of the first symptoms of the disease With those cases which had been bled, an average amount of success only was obtained, it being found that everything that could be done to restore the vital powers was, in a majority of cases, useless, save in the instances of young and vigorous horses In three of the cases the patients had been bled, and were so much weakened that they could scarcely walk In the fourth case, a drastic purgative had been administered, causing superpurgation and great prostration of strength In each of the cases the condition of the patient was nearly similar The following is Mr Farrall's account: "Having selected a healthy young horse from which to obtain the blood to be transfused, I opened the jugular vein in the patient and in the healtliy subject, and having inserted the tube into the vein of the healthy horse, I placed the india rubber tube in the tin trough containing the hot water, to maintain its temperature, and the other curved tube into the descending portion of the vein in the patient As soon as the current from the healthy horse had completely expelled all atmospheric air, the blood flowed freely from the vein of one horse into that of the other in an unbroken current The average quantity of blood transferred in each of these cases was about three quarts I observed no particular symptoms to follow from the transfusion until two quarts or more had passed from one to the other ; but as soon as about that quantity had flowed into the diseased subject, there appeared to' be produced an amount of stimulation indicated by an increased degree of action of the heart, at the same time the pupils began to dilate, and the countenance evinced an anxious expression My former experiments led me to watch with great care the progressive dilation of the pupil, and I deemed it expedient in each case when this symptom was well developed, to compress the tube so as to diminish the current, and allow the transfusion to proceed more gradually Occasionally I almost completely interrupted the current until the subsidence of this symptom, and I found that when about three quarts had been transfused, any additional quantity was followed by unpleasant symptoms, which indicated the necessity of stopping the operation, On removing the tube and closing the vein, all symptoms of irritation gradually subsided, and the pulse, from being rapid and irritable, became slower, stronger and fuller, gradually approaching the healthy standard In every instance I found action in the healtliy animal sufficiently strong to propel the blood into the vein of the patient; but if it be found requisite, the circulation may be strengthened by giving the horse from which the blood is to abstracted, a little brisk exercise immediately before the performance of the operation In each of my four cases the reaction was steady and progressive The natural warmth of the extremities was gradually restored, and in the course of ten or twelve hours the patients presented other equally unmistakable symptoms of amendment, such as returning appetite, more quiet and steady respiration, cheerfulness of countenance, willingness to move about, and in a short time they were pronounced cured"
