PALPITATION OF THE HEAKT. 351 



than it is, by applying the hand over the region of the heart; 

 and I may here quote Dr Wardrop's remarks. He says : 

 " That disturbances in the heart's functions are very common 

 there is surely no need of any other evidence than a know- 

 ledge of the numerous changes which take place in the 

 arterial pulse, such changes always indicating some corre- 

 sponding alteration in the movements of the heart. It is, 

 therefore, remarkable that while the attention of most patho- 

 logical inquirers has been assiduously directed to the detec- 

 tion of changes in the arterial pulse when investigating every 

 disease of the body, yet they have seldom deemed it neces- 

 sary to examine into the condition of the heart itself, although 

 they must be aware at the same time that the arterial pulse 

 is felt for no other purpose than to acquire information on 

 the state of the central organ of the circulation. Indeed, I 

 have a strong conviction that the habit of examining the 

 state of the arterial pulse in place of the beats of the heart 

 has been a fruitful source of error in the practice of medicine ; 

 and it may not be unworthy of notice here, as a curious fact, 

 that the Chinese, of whose progress in medical science we 

 know so little, when exploring the condition of a patient, 

 place the hand or ear on the region of the heart instead of 

 feeling the radial pulse." 



PALPITATION OF THE HEAKT. 



There are several forms of palpitation connected with 

 different morbid states. The first and most common is 

 witnessed in anaemia. I have often drawn the attention of 

 my students to this sign, neglected by veterinarians in this 

 country, and which has often led to errors in diagnosis and 

 prognosis. Ansemic palpitation is associated with blood- 

 sounds, heard in the vicinity of the heart, large arteries, and 

 veins. They vary with the condition of the blood, and are 



