44 



Journal of Agriculture. 



[ii Jan., 1909. 



of the limbs (rheumatic arthritis). In the latter case the joint becomes 

 swollen, hard and painful and this condition may exist for some time 

 snd then subside and reappear in another limb. When fixed in a joint 

 rheumatism results in removal of the articular cartilage in parts and the 

 deposition on the surface of the denuded bone of calcareous matter which 

 becomes highly polished from friction, and is hence termed " porcella 

 neaneous deposit." The urine contains excess of salines. 



Treatment. — Alkalies such as carbonate of soda and potash are 

 given to counteract activity ; purgatives and diuretics to cause elimination 

 of the foreign matter. Colchicum and iodide of potassium, salicylic acid, 

 and the salicylates of sodium and potassium are advised as being especi- 

 ally beneficial. Locality, for affected joints, hand rubbing and the 

 application of stimulating liniments or even blisters are advocated. 



Heart Affections. 



Diseases of the heart are very raxe in animals. Occasionally racehorses 

 may present a so-called hypertrophied heart but it is merely increase 

 in muscular tissue — an increase in size of the muscle fibres — the result 

 of a long period of high training and is never associated with structural 

 disease. 



Fatty infiltration of the heart muscle is seen in over-fat show cattle 

 and in fat pigs but here again the condition is one of atony and not of 

 disease. Heart weakness from such a cause will be shown sometimes by 

 respiratory distress of the affected animal on being unduly bustled, and 

 this may develop into congestion or apoplexy of the lungs. 



Rupture of the heart is practically unknown. 



By aneurism is meant a local dilatation of a blood vessel so as to form 

 a sac in w^hich a quantity of only partially circulating blood is contained. 

 Aneurisms occur principally in the heart and large arteries and in the 

 horse they occasionally exist in the left auricle or in the posterior aorta. 

 Aneurisms are really partial ruptures of the vessel and they form when 

 there is some weakness of the coats of the vessels. Most often they take 

 the form of "dissecting aneurisms;" that is, the internal coats of the 

 vessel are ruptured and the blood impinges against and distends the 

 external coat ; it may also push its way for a considerable distance 

 between the coats. It is when the strain on the outer coat becomes greater 

 that the tissues can stand the vessel ruptures and death from internal' 

 haemorrhage results. 



Phlebitis. 



Phlel)itis is an inflamir.ation of tlie coats of a blood vessel. In 



animals its only occurrence is as a sequel to blood-letting. The wound 



made in the jugular vein mav l)ecome inflamed. Thrombosis follows and 

 the vein mav become obliterated. 



