INFLAMMATION OF THE HEART. 325 



They are occasionally seized with fits, will fall backward, 

 and when recovering from it the teeth may be heard to 

 grate together. The post-mortem exhibits the substance of 

 the lungs highly inflamed ; in some the w^iole of the lobes, 

 in others those of one side only, are affected ; but wherever 

 the inflammation reaches, that part is condensed almost 

 into a solid mass by the congestion ; some of the air cells 

 also contain pus : the costal and mediastinal pleurae were 

 little affected. The liver is also sometimes slightly in- 

 flamed. If seen early, bleed the sheep to a small extent ; 

 and, as soon as it can be procured, a drink may be given, 

 composed of nitre one drachm, and tartar emetic one 

 scruple. 



INFLAMMATION OF THE HEART. 



This disease is very rare in the horse : but combined 

 wuth pneumonia and pleuritis, particularly with the latter, 

 it is not so uncommon, Mr. Blaine saw two cases, which 

 were both of them uncombined with pericarditis or inflam- 

 mation of the heart-bag and with pleurisy ; both termi- 

 nated by serous effusion into the pericardiac bag. Mr, 

 Percivall has also met with cases of carditis, but all of them 

 combined ; and he notices that he found the pericardium 

 coated with lymph, and in one instance thickened into a 

 semi-cartilaginous substance. The symptoms in the cases 

 which fell under our own notice differed so little from those 

 present in pneumonia, that we considered them as such, and 

 treated them accordingly. There is, however, one symptom 

 characteristic of inflammation of the heart : the throb or 

 beat of the organ is very loud, and there is also a pecu- 

 liarity in the pulse. It is marked by oppression, as in 

 pneumonia ; but superadded to that, a peculiar wiry yet 

 fluttering feel is observable, totally distinct from any other ; 

 and, above all, it is markedly intermittent, or the continua- 

 tion of the beats is every now and then stopped for a short 

 time. The countenance and manner were also marked by 

 an expression of anxiety and alarm ; but acute pain did not 

 appear present. The treatment of carditis, thus combined, 

 would in no respect differ from that of pneumonia, except- 

 ing that digitalis is to supply the place of belladonna ; but 

 were we assured of its true character, we should blister and 



