CHAPTER IX. 



DISEASES OF THE HEABT, BLOOD, ETC. 



1. THUMPS. n. SCROFULA. III. FEVER, OR GEKBRAL INFLAMMATION. IV. KNLAKOE- 



MK2IT OF THE HEART. V. FATTY DEGENERATION OF THE HEART. VI. KNLARGK" 



MENT OF THE ARTERIES. VII. INFLAMMATION OF THE JUGULAR VEIN.— VUI. INFLAM* 



MATION OF THE ABSORBENTS. IX. SCARLATINA. 



I. Thumps. 



Palpitation of the heart, or thumps, as it is usually called, may occur 

 from fright, in highly fed, irregularly worked animals, but is not as a 

 rule connected with structural disease of the heart. 



Causes. — Indigestion, some blood diseases, sudden excitement or fright 

 in animals predisposed to nervousness. 



How to know it. — ^The action of the heart will be violent and convul* 

 sive ; the beatings can be seen, felt and heard. The disorder comes on 

 abruptly, generally from excitement, has perfect intermissions with ab- 

 rupt jarring thumps, and a jerking motion of the abdomen, and unaccom- 

 panied by redness of the mucus membranes ; excited eyes, rapid breathing 

 and a more or less sudden diminution of the palpitation. If signs of 

 temporary excitement arc not present ; if the attack comes on slowly, is 

 constant with aggravated intervals ; if there is a heavy, prolonged, une- 

 qual beating, with red mucus membranes and swelling of the limbs, it 

 may be inferred that the difficulty is connected with structural heart 

 disease. 



What to do. — Avoid sudden excitement and over-exertion, but give 

 regular but gentle exercise, stimulants and tonics. The following would 

 be indicated as a stimulant, either whisky, or 1-2 ounce liquid ammonia. 

 Give 15 to 20 grahis digitalis twice a day in the feed, for some weeks. 



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