200 THEORY AND PRACTICE 



Then after the first stage is passed stimulants are indicated, 

 mild at first but increased as the weakness develops. If you let 

 the heart get weak then the effusion will be greater, so you must 

 keep up the heart. The heart in this condition is very suscepti- 

 ble and digitalis cannot be used in a mixture but must be given 

 once every three hours alone, as the case requires. Counter- 

 irritants to the left chest or hot fomentations are good for the 

 heat allays the pain ; cold will aggravate it. In the third stage 

 cantharides to the left side can be applied as a vesicant. Give 

 iron and stimulants to maintain a strong heart. Salol and 

 quinine are also indicated. The salol is usually given in dram 

 doses every three to six hours. Acetanilid can be given with it. 

 But in spite of all you can do the animal as a rule dies and 

 the autopsy shows serum in the pericardial sack and accumula- 

 tions of coagula around the heart. Following some other disease, 

 as it often does, treat the original condition as its nature seems 

 to indicate. 



ENDOCARDITIS. 



This is inflammation of the endocardial lining of the heart. 

 Associated with it is valvulitis, inflammation of the valves of 

 the heart. Endocarditis frequently occurs as a complication of 

 rheumatism. It is a more frequent disease of horses than is 

 generally known and often gives rise to symptoms that are first 

 obscure and unnoticed. In influenza we 'find the heart becoming 

 involved in consequence of the morbid material conveyed through 

 the heart by the blood stream. Septic diseases in any form may 

 produce their evil effects upon the heart through the channel of 

 the blood. 



In acute endocarditis we find the delicate, sensitive lining of 

 the cavities roughened. Coagulation of fibrin may follow upon 

 the inflamed surface and becomes deposited in shreddy-like gran- 

 ular elevations. Fibrinous clots may form and early death 

 result. 



The subacute endocarditis Is the most comm.on form of the 

 disease and it may not become appreciable for several days. It 

 IS usually confined to one or more anatomical divisions of the 



