THE HORSE IN SICKNESS AND DISEASE 323 



so much whey. Now and then we find pus in flakes 

 mingled with it. In quantity it varies considerably — from 

 a pint to a gallon or more. The horse generally sinks from 

 other disease, or from constitutional irritation, before the 

 cavity is filled. 



RUPTURE OF THE HEART. 



This is more frequent than is supposed. Where it 

 takes place, even from violent exertion, it is the result 

 of previous enlargement, dilation, or aneurism of the 

 aorta. Mr. Percivall says: "During one of the racing 

 meetings that used to be held annually at Woolwich, one 

 of the horses, who had vehemently contested, and lost only 

 by half a neck, a heat, suddenly fell and died just after he 

 had passed the winning-post. I afterwards examined the 

 body, and therein found the heart burst : I think it was 

 the right auricle that had given way — the animal had 

 literally died of *a broken heart.' In my regimental pre- 

 decessor's time, one of the troop-horses, intended to mount 

 king's guard, from the same cause, dropped down dead on 

 the parade." As there is no treatment to be prescribed for 

 such fatal lesions, we will not waste space upon them. 

 Where disease of this important organ is suspected, atten- 

 tion to the general health, and regular, moderate, and slower 

 work than the animal has been accustomed to may prolong 

 life, and preserve the utility of the animal in a humbler 

 capacity than the saddle, the fast trap, or the carriage. 



ANEURISM OF THE AORTA. 



The horse is by no means so subject to this fatal dis- 

 organisation as man. It is, however, met with generally 

 as a consequence of ulceration. The horse with this 

 " weak point " in his main blood-vessel (or in the iliac 

 artery, which also occurs) is past all treatment, and may 

 be looked on as " a dead 'un " for any serviceable purpose. 



INFLAMED VEIN. 



Inflammation of the vein is an affection now and then 

 met with in practice, and ordinarily a discreditable result 

 of careless or clumsy bleeding, and the effusion of blood in 



