302 DISEASES OF TITE HEART. 



Carditis is tlie name given to inflamraation of tlie muscular substance 

 of the heart. A well-authenticated instance of inflammation of the sub- 

 stance of the heart does not stand on record. Some other organ proves to 

 be implicated in the mischief, even when the disturbance of the heart has 

 been most apparent. 



Inflammation of the Lining of the Heart.— Mr. Simpson relates, in 

 * The Veterinarian ' for 1834, a case in which there were symptoms of severe 

 abdominal pain ; the respiration was much disturbed, and the action of the 

 heart took on an extraordinary character. Three or four beats succeeded 

 to each otlicr, so violently as to shake the whole frame, and to be visible 

 at the distance of several yards, with intervals of quietude of five minutes 

 or more. At length this violent beating became constant. 



On dissection both lungs were found to be inflamed, the serum in the 

 pericardium increased in quantity, and the internal membrane of the heart 

 violently inflamed, with spots of ccchymosis. 



This would seem to be a case of inflammation of the heai't ; but in a 

 considerable proportion of the cases of rabies, these spots of ecchymosis 

 and this general inflammation of the heart are seen. 



Hypertrophy is an augmentation or thickening of the substance of the 

 heart ; and, although not dreamed of a few years ago, seems now to be a 

 disease of no rare occurrence among horses. The heart has been known 

 to acquire double its natural volume, or the auricle and ventricle on 

 one side have been thus enlarged. Mr. Thomson relates in ' The Ve- 

 terinarian ' a very singular case. A horse was brought with every 

 appearance of acute rheumatism, and was bled and physicked. On the 

 following day he was standing, with his fore-legs widely extended, the 

 nostrils dilated, the breathing quick and laborious, the eyes sunk in their 

 Orbits, the pupils dilated, his nose turned round almost to his elbow, 

 sighing, and his countenance showing approaching dissolution. The pulse 

 had a most irregular motion, and the undulation of the jugular veins 

 was extending to the very roots of the ears. He died a few hours 

 afterwards. 



The lungs and pleura were much inflamed ; the pericardium was in- 

 flamed and distended by fluid ; the heart was of an enormous size and 

 greatly inflamed ; both the auricles and ventricles were filled with coagu- 

 lated blood ; the greater part of the chordiB tendinese had given way ; the 

 valves did not approximate to perform their function, and the heart alto- 

 gether presented a large disorganised mass, weighing thirty-four pounds. 

 The animal woi^ked constantly on the farm, and had never been put to 

 quick or very laborious work. 



Dilatation is increased capacity of the cavities of the heart, the 

 parietes being generally thinned. It is probable that this is a more fre- 

 quent disease than is generally supposed ; and from the circulating power 

 being lessened, or almost suspended, on account of the inability of the 

 cavities to propel their contents, it is accompanied by much and rapid 

 emaciation. In the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London this is a 

 disease considerably frequent, and almost uniformly fatal. It attacks the 

 smaller animals, and particularly the quadrumana, and has been found in 

 the deer and the zebra. It is characterised by slow emaciation, and a 

 piteous expression of the countenance ; but the mischief is done when 

 these symptoms appear. 



Ossification of the Heart. — There arc too many instances of this 

 lioth in the right and the left auricles of the heart, the aortic valves, the 

 abdominal aorta, and also the bronchial and other glauds. Mr. Percivall 

 observes of one of these cases, that ' the cavity could have been but a 



