229 



AESCESS IN THE HEART. 



This is a result of rajocarditis, or it may arise from localized pyaemic 

 infection or embolism of a coronary vessel, causing disintegration and 

 death of a part. Such abscess may be single and large, or multiple 

 and small. They may weaken the heart sufficiently to cause rupture 

 of its walls, or may embarrass the circulation by pressure upon the 

 orifices or cavities sufficient to produce death. 



Abscess of the heart cannot be diagnosed with any degree of cer- 

 tainty. 



PERICARDITIS— INFLAMMATION OF THE SAC INCLOSING THE HEART. 



Causes.— Pericarditis may be induced by cold and damp stabling, 

 exposure and fatigue, from wounds caused by broken ribs, etc. Gen- 

 erally, however, it is associated with au attack of influenza, rheuma- 

 tism, pleuritis, etc. 



Symptoms.— \Jsua,\\y the disease manifests itself abruptly by a brief 

 stage of chills coincident with pain in moving, a short painful cough, 

 rapid and short breathing, and high temperature, with a rapid and 

 hard pulse. The fever is highest, with corresponding pulse, in the 

 evening and lowest in the morning. In the early stages of the disease 

 the pulse is regular in beat ; later, when there is much exudation pres- 

 ent in the pericardial sac, the heart- beat becomes muffled, and may be 

 of a doubled or rebounding character. By placing the ear against the 

 left side of the chest behind the elbow a rasping sound may be heard, 

 corresponding to the frequency of the heart-beat. This is known as 

 the to-andfro friction sound. Between the second and fourth days this 

 sound may disappear, due to a distention of the pericardium by an exu- 

 date or serious effusion. As soon as this effusion partly fills the peri- 

 cardium, percussion will reveal an abnormally increased area of dull- 

 ness over the region of the heart, the heartbeats become less perceptible 

 than in health, and in some cases a splashing or flapping sound may 

 become audible. 



If the efi'usiou becomes absorbed, the to-aud-fro friction sound usually 

 recurs for a short time ; this friction may often be felt by applying the 

 hand to the side of the chest. In a few cases clonic spasms of the mus- 

 cles of the neck may be present. In acute pericarditis, when the eflu- 

 sion is rapid and excessive, the animal may die in a few days, or recovery 

 may begin equally as early. In subacute or in chronic cases the effu- 

 sion may slowly become augmented until the pressure upon the lungs 

 and interference with the circulation becomes so great that death will 

 result. Whether the attack is acute, subacute, or chronic, the charac- 

 teristic symptoms which will guide us to a correct diagnosis are the 

 to-and-fro friction sound, which is always synchronous with the heart's 

 action, the high temperature with hard, irritable pulse, and in cases of 

 pericardial effusion the increased area of dullness over the cardiac 



