214 BOVINE PATHOLOGY, 



M. Camoin, in which a large thorn thus entered the heart, 

 and became jBxed by the chordae tendinae. 



Symptoms. — Sometimes after ingestion of the body, the 

 animal remains apparently in full health. Then signs of 

 indigestion may be present as indications of abdominal pain, 

 tympany, and loss of appetite. Later, and especially, as 

 Williams has shown, after efforts in parturition, the animal 

 manifests signs of general disorder and acute febrile dis- 

 turbance. Also the pulse is found to be small, frequent, 

 irregular, and intermittent, with a quick and irritable 

 beat. Respirations short, sometimes slow, in other cases 

 frequent, abdominal, and with a double expiratory effort ; 

 cough may be present. 



The internal temperature is low, and the blood being 

 imperfectly diffused through the system, the muzzle is 

 dry and cold, the limbs are cold, the mucous membranes 

 are pale, and rigors as well as superficial muscular twitch - 

 ings (clonic spasms about the neck and pectoral region) 

 may be observed ; there is general stiffness and oede- 

 matous swellings occur in various parts of the body, as 

 under the belly and in the dewlap. The action of the 

 heart is irregular, sometimes sharp, at others extremely 

 quick and scarcely perceptible. The larger veins are dis- 

 tended with blood and the venous pulse is generally 

 present. The patient usually suffers a considerable amount 

 of pain, and sometimes lies preferably on the right side, 

 grinding the teeth, moaning, and looking back anxiously 

 every now and then towards the seat of the heart ; pressure 

 over the cardiac region causes a groan. Tympany is some- 

 times present, and there are gaseous eructations. Auscul- 

 tation detects a friction sound, which differs from that of 

 pleurisy in coinciding with the hearths movements ; also 

 a rushing or gurgling sound, which M. Boizy, as quoted by 

 Gamgee, attributes to the consistency of the fluid and 

 gaseous admixture. Williams, however, insists that cases 

 of traumatic pericarditis occur without gaseous eructa- 

 tions, splashings, and gurglings. Percussion gives dul- 

 ness of sound over the inflamed membrane. 



Fort-mortem examination. — Stomach and intestines con 



