76 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



the heart " is applied ; by many it is called " thumps." The hand or 

 ear placed against the chest easily detects the unnatural beating. In 

 some cases it is so violent that the motion may be seen at a distance. 

 Palpitation is but a symptom, and m many instances not connected 

 with disease of the structure of the heart or its membranes. A badly 

 frightened animal may have palpitation. When it comes on sud- 

 denly and soon passes away, it depends on some cause other than 

 diseases of the heart; when it is gradually manifested, however, and 

 becomes constant, although more pronounced at one time than an- 

 other, heart disease may be suspected, especially if other symptoms 

 of heart disease are present. 



INJURY TO THE HEART BY FOREIGN BODIES. 



Cattle are addicted to the habit of chewing and swallowing many 

 objects not intended as articles of food. Every veterinarian of ex- 

 perience has met with instances to remind him of this, and it is well 

 known to butchers. Among the great varietj^ of things that have 

 thus found their way into the stomachs of cattle the following have 

 been noticed : Finger rings, knitting needles, old shoes, table knives, 

 wood, pieces of leather, pieces of wire, buttons, hairpins, brushes, 

 nails, coins etc. The more sharply-pointed objects sometimes pene- 

 trate the wall of the stomach during which they maj^ or may not 

 cause gastric irritation enough to produce indigestion, gradually 

 work their way through the diaphragm toward the heart, pierce the 

 pericardium (bag inclosing the heart) , wound the heart, and thus 

 prove fatal to the animal. Cases are recorded in which the foreign 

 body has actually worked its way into one of the cavities of the heart. 

 Instances are known, however, in which the object took a different 

 course, and finally worked its Avay toward the surface and was ex- 

 tracted from the wall of the chest. While it is possible that the 

 foreign body may pierce the wall at different parts of the alimentary 

 canal, as it frequently does that of the rumen (paunch), it is thought 

 that in most cases it passes through the wall of the reticulum (smaller 

 honeycombed compartment, or second stomach) and is drawn toward 

 the heart by the suctionlike action of the chest. Post-moiiem ex- 

 aminations have demonstrated the course it ))ursued, as adhesions 

 and other results of the inflammation it caused were plainlv to be 

 seen. All manner of symptoms may precede those showing involve- 

 ment of the heart, depending upon the location of the foreign body 

 and the extent of inflammation caused l.>y it. Severe indigestion 

 may occur; stiffness and difficiTlty in moving about owing to the prods 

 of the sharp body following muscular contraction; pain on pressure 

 over the front, lower, or riglit side of the abdomen; coughing and 

 difficult, quick breathing. In most cases the foreign body does not 

 penetrate to the heart, nor even to the pericardium. 



