MYOCARDITIS — CARDIAC INTERMITTENCY. 361 



MYOCARDITIS— CARDIAC INTERMITTENCY. 



66. Twelve-year-old gelding, left in hospital 2gth April, 1896. 

 This horse had worked daily in a brougham for several years, and 



had done good service. During the months preceding entry, however, 

 it had been dull in the stable, and for a considerable time had refused 

 part of its food. At work it was " soft," and carried its head low, and 

 sweated readily. 



State on Examination. — Auscultation of the heart revealed intermit- 

 tency ; the first heart-sound was of a " rolling " character, and was 

 regarded as systolic. The pulse was full, strong, and numbered 40 

 per minute. After a few minutes' trotting the heart-beats became 

 violent ; the first sound was prolonged, and the second double. 



Certain peculiar symptoms had been noted, which appeared due to 

 brain mischief. The animal was almost always depressed and somno- 

 lent. Sometimes it walked in circles round its box, sometimes it 

 suddenly stopped while eating. If the front legs were crossed it 

 remained as placed for some moments. It was timid and very irritable, 

 being frightened by the slightest movement ; when ridden it would 

 often stop in front of any object, such as a piece of paper, and refused 

 to proceed. The urine contained only traces of albumen. There 

 were no ocular lesions. 



Diagnosis. — Chronic myocarditis, probably complicated by chronic 

 disease of the brain, dropsy of the lateral ventricle, or tumour in the 

 choroid plexus. 



On the 30th April, on auscultating the heart, intermittencies were 

 noted lasting for a complete cardiac cycle, and repeated after every 

 three or four beats. One and a half drachms of iodide of potassium 

 were given in the drinking-water, and the dose progressively increased 

 to 2h drachms. The animal's condition became aggravated. The 

 intermittency grew longer and more frequent. On being informed 

 that his horse was suffering from an incurable disease the ow^ner had it 

 slaughtered. 



A utopsy. — The heart was larger than normal, the left ventricle being 

 especially hypertrophied. The walls of the auricles had undergone 

 hardening. The right ventricle also showed patches of sclerosis. 

 There were no valvular lesions. 



The right kidney was smaller than the left. Its surface showed 

 slight projections and depressions, and its capsule was more adherent 

 than normal. Sections exhibited all the appearances of chronic atrophic 

 nephritis. 



There was no hydrocephalus. The plexus choroides was greatly 

 thickened, oedematous, and contained small cholesteatomata. 



67. A ten-year-old entire horse, left in hospital 23rd December, 

 1896. 



Three years before it had suffered from purpura haemorrhagica. 

 After recovering it had always worked well and had shown no other 

 internal disease. During the last few months the animal had appeared 

 weak, soon lost breath, and on returning to the stable at once lay 



