PERICARDITIS. 



Definition. Frequency in different genera. Causes, rheumatic, trauma- 

 tism, extension from pleurisy. Unwholesome buildings and localities, de- 

 bility. Symptoms, chill, reaction, pleuritic symptoms, hyperthermia, ten- 

 derness behind left elbow only, friction sound synchronous with heartbeat, 

 later it is lost and heart sounds are muffled, increased area of dulness on 

 percussion, oppressed breathing, venous pulse, patient statant, little fever 

 in chronic cases. Traumatism from the stomach, digestive disgrder, grunt- 

 ing, dropsy under the sternum with little fever at first. Lesions, as in pleu- 

 risy, obliteration of pericardial sac. In traumatism from stomach the for- 

 eign body is formed in the cardiac end of a band of lymph extending to the 

 reticulum. Treatment, in chill, after reaction, medicinal measures as in 

 pleurisy, local applications to the region of the heart. Paracentesis, inser- 

 tion of needle, antiseptic precautions. Chronic pericarditis in oxen. 



Definition. Inflammation of the .strong fibro-serous sac in which 

 the heart is contained and which is reflected on the muscular sub- 

 stance of that organ .so as to form it.s external covering. 



This is the most common inflammatory disease of the heart and 

 has been met with more frequently in horses and cattle than in the 

 smaller quadrupeds. 



Causes.. It frequently coincides with or follows other diseases 

 sucli as influenza, pleiiro-pneuinonia and above all rheui7iatism. 

 In cattle and goats wounds from sharp pointed bodies, (needles, 

 pins, nails, etc.), which have been swallowed with the food and 

 have passed through the walls of the second .stomach, the dia- 

 phragm and pleura to the heart constitute a frequent cause in cat- 

 tle. The pericardium has been punctured by a fractured rib and 

 has been implicated in inflammation attendant on an abscess or 

 other lesion in the walls of the chest. Besides these the general 

 influences which cau.se uncomplicated attacks of the disease are 

 the same as those producing pleurisy, peritonitis, rheumatism and 

 inflammation of serous membranes generally. These are sudden 

 changes from heat to cold, cold winds, cold draughts, drenching, 

 chilling rains in animals already overheated and exhausted, or 

 prolonged exposure in severe weather, in low states of the sys- 

 tem. Leblanc ju.stly remarks that " with the morbid influences 

 which appear specific, there often coincide intemperate seasons, 

 326 



