DISEASES OF HEAET, BLOOD VESSELS, AND LYMPHATICS. 77 



of the sharp body following muscular contraction; pain on pressure 

 over the front, lower, and right sides of the abdomen ; coughing and 

 difficult, quick breathing. In most cases the foreign body does not 

 penetrate to the heart, nor even to the pericardium. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms are as follows: The animal is disin- 

 clined to move actively, the step is restricted and cautious, sudden 

 motion causes grunting, the attitude is constrained, the feet are 

 drawn somewhat together, the back is arched, the face has an anxious 

 expression. If the disease is of some days' standing, there is likely to 

 be soft swelling (edema) beneath the neck, in the dewlap, and under 

 the chest, between the fore legs. Breathing is short and difficult; it 

 may clearly be painful. The pulse is rapid, 80 to 120 per minute. 

 The muscles quiver as though the animal were cold. Rumination and 

 appetite are depressed or checked. The dung is hard, and to void it 

 appears to cause pain. These symptoms usually develop gradually, 

 and, of course, they vary considerably in different animals, depending 

 upon the size and location of the foreign body and the irritation 

 caused by it. 



As a matter of course, treatment in such cases is useless, but when 

 it is possible to diagnose the case correctly the animal could be turned 

 over to the butcher before the flesh becomes unfit for use; that is, 

 before there is more than a little suppuration and before there is 

 fever. Knowing that cattle are prone to swallow such objects, ordi- 

 nary care may be exercised in keeping their surroundings as free of 

 them as possible. 



PERICARDITIS. 



Inflammation of the pericardium (heart bag) is often associated 

 with pneumonia and pleurisy, rheumatism, and other constitutional 

 diseases, or with an injury. It also occurs as an independent affec- 

 tion, due to causes similar to those of other chest affections, as expos- 

 ure to cold or dampness and changes of the weather. 



Symptoms. — It may be ushered in with a chill, followed by fever, 

 of more or less severity ; the animal stands still and dull, with head 

 hanging Ioav, and anxiety expressed in its countenance. The pulse 

 may be large, perhaps hard ; there is also a venous pulse. The hand 

 against the chest will feel the beating of the heart, which is often 

 irregular, sometimes violent, and in other instances weak, depending 

 in part upon the amount of fluid that has transuded into the peri- 

 cardial sac. Legs are cold, the breathing quickened and usually 

 abdominal; if the left side of the chest be pressed on or struck, the 

 animal evinces pain. There may be spasms of the muscles in the 

 region of the breast, neck, or hind legs. After a time, which varies in 

 length, the legs may become swollen, and swelling may also appear 

 under the chest and brisket. 



