220 THE NATURE AND TREATMENT OP 



the animal occasionally directs its head near the region of the 

 heart, and if pressure be made on the sternum — breast bone 

 — it elicits distressing symptoms. As the disease progresses 

 the jugulars increase in volume, the pulse becomes feeble, and 

 an oedematous, or dropsical state of the lower parts of the 

 thorax sets in ; this latter feature indicates that a considerable 

 quantity of fluid is present, both in the pericardium and thorax. 

 In this stage the case is incurable. 



In the early stage of pericarditis, the treatment should be 

 about the same as that recommended for acute pulmonic, and 

 pleuritic affections. Iodide of potassium, in doses of twenty- 

 five grains per diem, may prove serviceable, and some form 

 of diuretic medicine may also be exhibited to increase the action 

 of the kidneys ; so soon as the patient shows signs of amend- 

 ment, tincture of matico, in ounce doses, may be given twice 

 daily until the patient has fairly recovered. 



The London Veterinarian publishes the following case, 

 furnished by surgeon Lepper : — 



" I herewith send you what I think is a rare specimen of a 

 diseased heart, with its investment, which was taken from a 

 cow of the short-horn breed, about seven years old, the prop- 

 erty of Mr. Bliss, of Windmill Hill, Waddesdon. 



" On the fourth day after calving she was noticed to fail in 

 her appetite, and her milk also became greatly diminished in 

 quantity. In walking across the yard she staggered and fell. 

 She laid for some considerable time, when with difficulty she 

 got up and walked to a shed, where she soon laid down again. 

 It was in this condition that I first saw her. The expression 

 of her countenance did not materially differ from that of a 

 healthy animal. The bowels w^ere regular in their action; 

 the pulse did not exceed fifty beats in the minute, and was soft 

 and full. On the left side of the chest there was an emphy- 

 sematous swelling, extending over four or five of the middle 

 ribs and about eight or ten inches wide. On auscultating the 

 chest I could not discover any unusual sound in the respiratory 

 action; the breathing also was regular. The jugular veins 

 were filled to repletion, so as to be observable when standing 



