I JO THE FARM DOCTOR. 



PALPITATION. THUMPS. 



This is sudden violent convulsive beating of the heart not 

 connected with structural disease. Palpitations also accompany 

 most acute diseases of the heart. The functional disorder 

 comes on very abruptly, usually under some excitement, has 

 perfect intermissions, is manifested by abrupt knocking and 

 visible jerking of the abdomen with the heart-beats, by regu- 

 larity in force and intervals of successive beats, and by the 

 absence of redness of the mucous membranes, abnormal sounds 

 of the heart and dropsy of the limbs. If connected' with 

 structural heart-disease it comes on more slowly, is constant 

 though aggravated at intervals with a heavy, prolonged, or 

 irregular and unequal impulse of the heart, with red mucous 

 membranes, and dropsy of the limbs. The first form is bene- 

 fited by gentle exercise, stimulants, and tonics, the latter 

 aggravated by them. Some excitable horses and dogs suffer 

 under any cause of fear, and pigs as a result of many acute 

 diseases (inflammations, intestinal worms, etc.) 



Treatment. — Quiet, avoidance of all excitement, and seda- 

 tives (digitalis) thrice a day will usually arrest. Then the weak 

 excitable condition should be overcome by .exercise, tonics, and 

 substantial feeding. In structural diseases these must be 

 attended to as well. 



DISPLACEMENTS OF THE HEART. 



These are not very infrequent in the newly-born, the heart 

 being sometimes lodged altogether out of the chest. There is 

 no remedy. 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE T^-VO AURICLES. CYANOSIS. 



This is the natural condition before birth, but sometimes the 

 directing of the blood through the lungs fails to secure its 

 closure, or some obstruction to the circulation in these organs 



