DISEASES OF THE ORGANS OF CIRCULATION 57 



hand, paralysis of the heart can result from numerous causes, such 

 as cardiac poisons, disease and overexertion of the myocardium, 

 deficiency of oxygen, insufficient nourishment, and the collection 

 of carbon dioxide and other products of decomposition. The 

 cardiac muscle possesses in a high degree the capacity to accom- 

 modate itself to changed relations resulting from disease. An 

 example is the compensatory hypertrophy of valvular insufficiency. 

 The recognition of this compensation as a natural healing process 

 and not something to be combated by therapeutic measures is of 

 primary importance in the rational treatment of heart diseases. 



Therapeutic Methods. — Disturbances of the pumping mech- 

 anism of the heart may result from disease of the muscular appa- 

 ratus, the nervous system, the valvular mechanism or the nutritive 

 blood-vessels. The treatment required will depend upon the con- 

 dition present. Drugs affecting the muscles or the nerves, me- 

 chanical methods or vasodilators may be indicated. The compli- 

 cated mechanical, thermic and electrical methods of human medicine 

 (change of climate, baths, hydrotherapy, electrotherapy, inhalation 

 of compressed air) are not apphcable in veterinary medicine. In 

 the latter, treatment of cardiac diseases is limited mainly to the use 

 of medicines. The rest treatment can be applied to animals as to 

 man; in cardiac weakness the heart can be protected by reducing 

 or abolishing work and exercise. In certain conditions, as obesity 

 in dogs, systematic exercise and dietetic treatment may be insti- 

 tuted. Regarding the latter, decreasing or regulating the drinking 

 water, thereby reducing the amount of fluid in the blood and 

 decreasing the work of the heart, is of practical importance (Oertel's 

 method). In dogs, as in man, food that is too bulky can be 

 avoided (milk diet). The operative treatment of cardiac diseases, 

 as puncture of the pericardium in pericarditis, is hardly worth con- 

 sidering. 



CARDIACS. HEART REMEDIES 



Synonyms: Polysphygmics, bradysphygmics, heart stimulants, heart 

 tonics, heart sedatives. 



Classification. — The cardiacs are classified according to their 

 action. There are three groups: stimulants, tonics and sedatives. 



