390 PERICARDITIS. 



sheath; in fact, he was in better condition than his com- 

 panion. On the coachman's going to him last evening he 

 found him lying down, and on causing him to rise, the 

 breathing became very laboured for a few minutes, when he 

 suddenly fell, and died instantaneously. 



" I availed myself of this opportunity of making a post- 

 mortem examination. The appearances presented were 

 belly and sheath oedematous. On laying open the cavity of 

 the abdomen, a large quantity of serous fluid escaped. The 

 viscera of the abdomen had a healthy appearance, except the 

 liver, which was considerably enlarged, softened, and of a 

 dark colour. The mesenteric glands were of the usual size, 

 and the lacteals also. On opening the thorax I was asto- 

 nished at the enormously distended state of the pericardial 

 sac, on making a section of which about six quarts of yellow 

 turbid serous fluid escaped, in which floated several large 

 flocculi of lymph. The pleurae and lungs were slightly in- 

 flamed, and many patches of ecchymosis were visible on the 

 pleura pulmonalis and p. costalis. The heart, &c., I have for- 

 warded you, therefore it is unnecessary for me to give any 

 description of these parts. This case is interesting, more 

 especially so on account of the absence of the usual premoni- 

 tory symptoms of this disease." 



The editor of the Veterinary Record added in a note, that 

 "the lesions were doubtlessly the result of an attack of 

 pericarditis, which had become chronic. Such cases are 

 comparatively rare. The amount of fibrine thrown out over 

 the heart was considerable, the false membrane being in 

 places full half-an-inch in thickness. The substance of the 

 heart was softened, but the lining membrane of the organ 

 was unaffected. The pericardial sac itself was as extensively 

 diseased as the membrane investing the heart. Such an 

 effusion of lymph must necessarily have interfered with the 



