PERICARDITIS. 



309 



The attendant symptoms are palpitation of the heart, quick- 

 ened respiration, sometimes accompanied with a dry cough, 

 with a pulse quick, rising to sixty or seventy a minute, full, 

 hard, and strong. " Mr. Pritchard, Y. S., Wolverton," says 

 Mr. Percival, " with laudable zeal for the promotion of our art, 

 so long ago as the year 1833, furnished the veterinarian with 

 some practical communications on this subject, which we shall 

 find it advantageous to revive upon the present occasion. His 

 observations relate particularly to the type termed Hydrops 

 Pericardii^ which implies the stage of pericarditis when effu- 



^5^ - sion is likely, or has taken place, 



^~~^^ ^ _,_ and the membranous sac is sup- 



~^~- posed to contain watery 

 fluid, and probably 

 lymph as well. The 

 symptoms of this af- 

 fection, apart from 

 pleurisy and pneu' 



THE END OF PERICARDITIS. mOH 1 a, Mr. Prlt- 



chard informs us, are well-marked. They are palpitation of 

 the heart, the carotid arteries (passing up the neck) beating 

 forcibly and being readily recognized in applying the finger to 

 their course in the neck. There is a good flow of blood through 

 the jugulars ; a copious return of blood through the neck, when 

 the state of the pulse is considered ; the surface of the body 

 and the extremities are warm ; and these latter symptoms con- 

 tinue within one or two hours of the horse's death. * * * In 

 addition to the above symptoms, there is such an expression of 

 alarm and anxiety in the countenance of the animal as no other 

 malady produces." 



