204 DISEASES OF THE HEART. 



agitation of the heart is at first no more than occasional, 

 though it afterwards becomes perpetual. Consonant with 

 this^ when the valves are affected, will be observed regur- 

 gitation of blood into the larger veins, as seen in the 

 jugulars at their entrance into the thorax, causing them to 

 pulsate, or leap, as it were, from their places, and even to 

 become contorted. The respiration is not affected at times, 

 but only in paroxysms — not constantly, or not at first. 

 Febrile symptoms will supervene upon, or prove concomitant 

 with, these; and, as the inflammation in the heart pro- 

 gresses, will grow alarming, the disease being a very dan- 

 gerous one, and likely to end in death. 



I subjoin some cases which will illustrate what has been 

 said about the symptoms. 



Mr. Simpson, V.S., Southampton, relates a case in The 

 Veterinarian for 1834, in which this affection appeared 

 extremely well marked after death, with, to say the least of 

 them, strong indications of its presence during life. In 

 the commencement, the case manifested symptoms of abdo- 

 minal pain j next, the respiration became greatly disturbed ; 

 and that was succeeded by a remarkable change in the action 

 of the heart (from simple frequency) to three or four beats 

 in succession, so \dolent as to shake the whole frame, and 

 render its movements visible even at many yards' distance ; 

 with intervals of quietude of five minutes or more; the pulsa- 

 tion of the submaxillary unaffected all the while. After- 

 wards the violent beating became constant. Before death its 

 force decreased, but never again down to the natural beat. 

 Autopsy : Both lungs inflamed. About a pint and a half 

 of serum in the pericardium. External surface of the heart 

 sound ; lining membrane highly inflamed, " the left auricle 

 and ventricle being covered with spots of ecchymosis, and 

 the whole surface of the cavities on the right side being 

 discoloured by inflammatory action.^' 



M. Mercier, in The Veterinarian, vol. xv, p. 229, 

 relates a case of endocarditis, in which was found ulcera- 

 tion of the lining membrane of the heart. The case was 

 rendered remarkable after death by the existence of a 



