366 HORSE, SWINE AND POULTRY DISEASES 



Acute endocardia! inflammation may be distinguished from 

 pleuritis by the absence of any friction murmur, absence of pain 

 when the chest wall is percussed, and the absence of effusion in the 

 cavity of the chest. It may be distinguished from pericarditis by 

 the absence of the friction sounds and want of an enlarged area of 

 dullness on percussion. 



Treatment. -The objects to be attained by treatment will be 

 to remove or mitigate as much as possible the cause inducing the 

 disease; to find a medicine which will lessen the irritability of the 

 heart without weakening it; and, last, to maintain a free urinary 

 secretion and prevent exudation and hypertrophy. So long as 

 there is an increase of temperature, with some degree of scantiness 

 of the urine, it may be safe to believe that there is some degree of 

 inflammatory action existing in the cardiac structures, and as long 

 as any evidence of inflammatory action remains, however moderate 

 in degree, there is a tendency to increase the connective tissue of the 

 heart or valves, thereby rendering it almost certain that the struc- 

 tural changes will become permanent unless counteracted by per- 

 sistent treatment and complete rest. 



The tincture of digitalis, in 20-drop doses, repeated every hour, 

 is perhaps the most reliable agent we know to control the irritability 

 of the heart, and this also has a decided influence upon the urinary 

 secretion. After the desired impression upon the heart is obtained 

 the dose may be repeated every two or three hours, or as the case 

 may demand. Bleeding, blistering, and stimulating applications 

 to the chest should be avoided. They serve to irritate the animal 

 and can do no possible good. Chlorate of potassa, in 2-dram doses, 

 may be given in the drinking water every four hours for the first 

 five or six days, and then be superseded by the nitrate of potassa, in 

 half-ounce doses, for the following week, or until the urinary secre- 

 tion becomes abnormally profuse. \Vhere the disease is associated 

 with rheumatism, 2-dram doses of salicylate of soda may be substi- 

 tuted for the chlorate of potassa. To guard against chronic indura- 

 tion of the valves, the iodide of potassa, in 1 to 2 dram doses, should 

 be given early in the disease, and may be repeated two or three 

 times a day for several weeks. "When chronic effects remain after 

 the acute stage has passed this drug becomes indispensable. 



When dropsy of the limbs develops, it is due to weakened cir- 

 culation or functional impairment of the kidneys. When there is 

 much weakness in the action of the heart, or general debility is 

 marked, the iodide of iron, in 1-dram doses, combined with hydras- 

 tis, 3 drams, may be given three times a day. Arsenic in five grain 

 doses twice a day will give excellent results in some cases of weak 

 heart associated with difficult breathing. In all cases absolute rest 

 and warm stabling, with comfortable clothing, become necessary, 

 and freedom from work should be allowed for a long time after all 

 symptoms have disappeared. 



PERICARDITIS, OR INFLAMMATION OF THE SAC INCLOSING THE HEART. 



Causes. Pericarditis may be induced by cold and damp sta- 

 bling, exposure and fatigue, from wounds caused by broken ribs, etc. 



