CIRCULATORY AND LYMPHATIC SYSTEMS 285 



well without the slightest symptom of anything being amiss, until 

 one day it is found dead — post-mortem examination revealing the 

 cause to be a needle, wire, or some such body (of which I have quite 

 a collection), sticking in the heart or its covering. Sometimes the 

 animal is very lame, and on close examination an enlargement is 

 found in the side behind the elbow, which on cutting into is found to 

 contain perhaps a large needle or pin. Again, in other cases the 

 symptoms are that the animal begins to lose flesh and milk, feeds 

 badly, rarely chews the cud, and shows all the symptoms of a ' piner,' 

 having a dry ticklish, barking cough, standing with the hind-legs 

 down in the gangway of the byre, the belly tucked up and sides 

 dropped in, the breathing short and slightly quickened. But the 

 most confirming symptom is the jugular vein being greatly enlarged, 

 sticking out as thick as the handle of a hay-fork, with a wavy pulsa- 

 tion in it. As the case progresses watery swellings are seen under the 

 jaw, and on the lower side of the neck and dewlap, while the pulse is 

 so small and quick as to be scarcely perceptible. On applying the 

 ear to the flat or bottom of the sternum, just behind the elbow, the 

 heart can be heard splashing in the water with a peculiar tinkling, 

 running sound. This symptom may be due to some foreign body 

 sticking in the pericardium, or to chronic inflammation of the 

 pericardium from other causes ; one prominent cause being the reten- 

 tion of the second cleansing, the flow of which may have been 

 checked by east wind chills, or from too early removal of the cow 

 after calving, etc. (par. 807). The animal at first falls slightly 

 off its milk and food, and the complaint steals on gradually, until 

 it ends in hydro-pericarditis. Treatment is very unsatisfactory. 

 Saline medicines, combined with iron and vegetable tonics, can be 

 tried (par. 1059, No. II.). 



443. A Young Animal, under twelve months old, when fed on 

 too nitrogenous a diet, such as decorticated cotton cake, suffers 

 sometimes from congestion of the kings and heart. It has a dry, husky 

 cough, the head is stretched out and held low, jugular vein full, 

 breathing quick with a sharp grunt, while the movement of the 

 flanks is rapid, and there is generally foaming at the month ; in fact, 

 at the first glance, the case resembles quarter-ill. Such cases usually 



