DISEASES OF THE HEART AND ITS MEMBRANES. 657 



degenerations) might be administered. For tlie dog, mild purga- 

 tives, regular exercise, and light food constitute the best treat- 

 ment, for, as already pointed out, the atrophy is generally simple, 

 except in old dogs — depending upon the pressure of the fatty 

 infiltration. 



PERICARDITIS. 



Inflammation of the pericardium is often associated with 

 epizootic diseases. In the ox it frequently arises traumatically. 



When not arising from injury, its causes are similar to 

 those of pulmonary diseases and rheumatism, with which it is 

 often associated. There are but few instances of epizootic 

 pleuro-pneumonia in the horse but are complicated with in- 

 flammation of the pericardium ; indeed, during some seasons, 

 epizootic diseases partake of the rheumatic type, and involve 

 not only the pleura, pericardium, and endocardium, but also 

 the fibrous structures of other parts of the body. 



Symptoms. — In addition to general signs of fever, which is 

 often of a severe type, there is a peculiar irritability and hardness 

 of the pulse, indicative of irritability of the heart ; the pulse is a 

 short, angry beat, and the heart's action is often irregular; some- 

 times bounding and violent, at other times feeble and fluttering. 

 There is coldness of the extremities, and acceleration of the 

 respiratory movements. 



Leblanc, who is followed by Percivall, Gamgee, and others, 

 says that a marked contrast between the violent heart-beats and 

 smallness of the pulse are characteristic signs of endocarditis, 

 and that they are very important in distinguishing endocarditis 

 from pericarditis. I cannot confirm this conclusion, having 

 repeatedly witnessed these symptoms in pericarditis unassociated 

 with disease of the endocardium. Generally, however, both 

 membranes are implicated in the inflammation, and it is a most 

 difficult matter, in the lower animals at least, to distinguish 

 between the two affections. 



Associated with this inflammation, spasms or cramps of the 

 superficial muscles ave often witnessed. Most frequently the 

 cramps are confined to the muscles of the pectoral region and 

 neck ; but occasionally those of the posterior extremities are also 

 more or less violently affected. The physical sign of pericarditis 

 is a to-and-fro friction sound, resembling a rasping murmur, 



2 U 



