DEGENERATIVE CHANGES OF THE HEART. 197 



ANGINA PECTORIS. — In man, angina pectoris (a/p/cojto 

 strangle ; pectus, the breast), or breast pang, is a disease of 

 the heart characterized by paroxysmal attacks of neuralgic 

 pain in the chest, and is rarely met with under 45 years of 

 age. This affection is believed by Williams to affect the 

 horse sometimes, and, indeed, from the frequent occurrence 

 of heart disease in this animal, this is only what we might 

 expect. This author describes a case in an aged horse 

 brought to him for examination. For twelve months the 

 animal had done very little work, owing to the fact that 

 when excited by work he manifested severe agony in the near 

 fore-limb. In this case the heart was manifestly diseased. 



DISEASES OF THE PERICARDIUM. 

 ACUTE PERICARDITIS. 



Definition. — Inflammation of an acute type affecting the 

 pericardial membrane. 



Etiology. — Acute pericarditis may appear as a primary or 

 idiopathic aflfection from cold, damp, exposure or fatigue. 

 It is, however, most frequently met with in association 

 with other diseases, rheumatic fever especially. It is also 

 often associated with strangles, influenza, purpura, pyaemia, 

 and other septic conditions of the blood. It may result 

 from spreading of inflammation from the lungs and pleura, 

 or from the irritation of new growths, or from parasites in 

 the sac. 



Finally, it may be induced by wounds or by fractured 

 ribs. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of pericarditis are very 

 variable, and when unassociated with general disease may 

 be very indistinct and obscure. Generally pericarditis is 

 met with in association with endocarditis, and in these 

 cases the symptoms are very difficult to distinguish. 



