72 



rise to the impression of frequent occurence of death from heart- 

 disease, an idea which seems to be often quite erroneous, though 

 the following observations would seem to lend it support. Burke 

 described sudden death of camels with dyspnoea, tossing of the 

 head, restlessness, more or less pain on pressure of the left side, 

 and, generally, rolling over to the left side before death. Young 

 animals suffered most ; -post-mortem examination showed changes 

 in the walls of the heart of the same nature as " rapid cirrhosis " 

 in man. These were general and gave rise to a swollen flaccid 

 state of the walls, sometimes with extensive rupture and extra- 

 vasation into the pericardium [Q. J. V. S., Vol. V., p. 179.]* 



As a matter of fact the circulatory system of the camel is not 

 highly developed and is little liable to disorder. No artery 

 gives a distinct and easily recognisable pulse ; but, taken at the 

 heart, the average number of beats per minute is found to be 54. 

 There is a cartilage in the ventricular wall which becomes ossified 

 in the adult. The venous system is described as capacious, the 

 jugular being 2-2 i inches in diameter and commonly used as the 

 place for venesection, which is performed by making the animal 

 sit down, tying his fore-legs, and then fixing a ligature round 

 the neck to raise the veins, as is the custom in bleeding the ox. 



Chapter VII.— THE RESPIRATORY APPARATUS. 

 Neither lungs nor air passages present anatomical features 

 worthy of special comment. These organs are larger and more 

 capacious than those of the ox and yet not so developed as those 

 of the horse. Respiratory diseases are of frequent occurrence but 

 difficult to detect, or rather have proved so hitherto in the absence 

 of full auscultation. The sides of the poor brutes are so covered 

 with filth and parasites as a rule, their necks are so long and 

 their teeth so threatening, and their bite so well known to be severe 

 that placing the ear against the chest is apt to seem anything but 

 pleasant even when the report of the Serwan or other symptoms 

 have led us to a suspicion of respiratory disease. Hence our 

 present ignorance, which may be summed up as follows. 



* Since the above appeared in type Mr. Burke has informed me by letter 

 that he only saw lesions of " rapid cirrhosis"' in one case. 



