I I 2 THE FARM DOCTOR. 



Arsenic is alhO given with benefit, but in advanced cases, or 

 those due to irremediable obstruction, no treatment is of any 

 avail. 



WASTING (atrophy) OF THE HEART. 



This is much less frequent than hypertrophy. It may be 

 due to compression of the heart and its nutrient vessels by 

 efifusion into the pericardium, or the formation of false mem- 

 branes, or it may coexist with a general wasting and imperfect 

 nutrition of the body. 



The Symptoms are the opposite of those of hypertrophy. 

 There are the general signs of chronic heart-disease, but percus- 

 sion, which gives satisfactory results only over the breast-bone 

 and in carnivora, gives almost the sole reliable symptom — a 

 decreased area of dulness. Little can be done to relieve, and 

 that little directed to the removal of its causes. By keeping 

 fattening animals quiet they may be preserved for slaughter. 



DILATATION OF THE HEART. 



This, like hypertrophy, usually results from some obstruction 

 to the circulation, but especially from a sudden extreme obstruc- 

 tion, whereas hypertrophy results from a slowly increasing 

 obstacle. It is also exceedingly common in cases of fatty 

 degeneration in overfed stock (cattle, sheep, pigs). 



Symptoms. — Loss of appetite, spirit, and endurance, faintness 

 and difficulty of breathing on the slightest exertion, habitual 

 coldness of the limbs, dropsy, unsteady gait, venous pulse, 

 palpitations, weak, tremulous heart impulse, murmur with the 

 first sound, small, weak, irregular, and often intermitt'^nt pulse, 

 and lividity of the membrane of the nose. 



Treatment. — Unless the causes can be put a stop to in the 

 early stages no treatment will be satisfactory. Arsenic is some- 

 times useful in horses. Fattening animals should be kept verj 

 quiet and their progress hastened if possible. 



