FOREIGN BODY IN THE PERICARDIUM. 365 



two inches in thickness opposite the centre of the swelHng, was reduced 

 to about half an inch. 



INTRA-MURAL CARDIAC ABSCESS IN A COW. 



73. History. — About a year previous to death the animal had 

 suffered from " foul in the foot " with fever ; the foot had not perfectly 

 healed until after three months. A week before death, which occurred 

 very suddenly, the cow had shown trifling symptoms. It had not been 

 treated. 



Post-mortem examination showed all the internal organs except the 

 heart to be healthy. Projecting from the ventricular septum into 

 the right ventricle was an eminence the shape of an English cottage 

 loaf, measuring three inches in diameter by two in depth from its 

 summit to the level of the ventricular surface of the septum. The 

 endocardium had become softened and entirely removed from its 

 salient parts by the current of blood, and was replaced by several 

 layers of coagulated lymph. On incising this fluctuating swelling, 

 thick, creamy, odourless pus escaped, leaving a very large cavity in the 

 substance of the septum, which, however, was intact on the side of the 

 left ventricle. There was slight hypertrophy, but the walls of the heart 

 and the valves were otherwise healthy. 



Note. — Professor Walley regarded the abscess as pya^mic in origin, 

 and consequent on the above-mentioned attack of " foul in the foot." 

 Death was probably due to syncope. 



Prof. Walley's case, Joiirn. Comp. Path, and Therap., 1894, p. 65. 



FOREIGN BODY IN THE PERICARDIUM— INTRA-PERICARDIAL 

 HEMORRHAGE. 



74. On the 6th June, 1892, a cowkeeper in the neighbourhood 

 brought us the body of a cow which had died during the night, without 

 having previously shown any signs of grave disease. 



Post-mortem examination proved that the animal had died from intra- 

 pericardial haemorrhage produced by a fragment of iron wire. This 

 fragment, starting from the reticulum, had pierced its anterior wall, 

 passed through the diaphragm, penetrated the pericardium, and at- 

 tained the heart opposite the posterior vascular furrow, an inch or two 

 from the point, the sharp extremity as usual being in front. 



The foreign body having, as commonly happens, produced chronic 

 inflammatory lesions in the tissues traversed, there is some room for 

 doubting the extreme suddenness of death and the absence of more or 

 less grave premonitory disturbance, either of continued or intermittent 

 character, during the days preceding the end. 



Questioned on this point, the owner gave the following very precise 

 information : — " I purchased this cow on the 22nd January last. Apart 

 from a trifling ailment lasting for a few hours, which she showed soon 

 after arrival, her soundness never appeared doubtful. One thing, how- 

 ever, struck me. Although she showed excellent appetite this beast 

 never grew fat, but this I attributed to the fact that she was a very 

 good milker. On the evening before the day of death I passed through 



