110 The Farmer's Veterinary Adviser. 



some excitement, has perfect intermissions, is manifested 

 by abrupt knocking and visible jerking of the abdomen 

 with the heart-beats, by regularity in force and inteiTals 

 of successive beats, and by the absence of redness of the 

 mucous membranes, abnormal sounds of the heart and 

 dropsy of the Hmbs. If connected with structural heart 

 dii^ease it comes on more slowly, is. constant though ag- 

 gravated at intervals, with a heavy, prolonged or irregular 

 and unequal impulse of the heart, with red mucous mem- 

 branes and dropsy of the limbs. The first form is bene- 

 fited by gentle exercise, stimulants and tonics, the latter 

 aggravated by them. Some excitable horses and dogs 

 suffer under any cause of fear, and pigs as a result of 

 many acute diseases, (inflammations, inteK^tinal worms, etc.) 

 Treatment. Quiet, avoidance of all excitement, and 

 sedatives (digitalis) thrice a day will usually arrest. Then 

 the weak excitable condition should be overcome by exer- 

 cise, tonics and substantial feeding. In structural dis- 

 eases these must be attended to as well. 



DISPLACEMENTS OF THE HEAET. 



These are not very infrequent in the newly-born, the 

 heart being sometimes lodged altogether out of the chest. 

 There is no remedy. 



COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE TWO AURICLES. CYANOSIS. 



This is the natural condition before birth, but some- 

 times the directing of the blood through the lungs fails to 

 secure its closure, or some obstruction to the circulation 

 in these organs (tuberculosis, congestion, etc.,) leads to 

 its reopening and the arterial and venous blood mix. The 

 blood being equally unfit for nutrition and the mainte- 

 nance of animal heat, there is surface coldness, staring 

 coat, puny growth, blue mucous membranes, and op- 

 pressed breathing and irregular heart's action when sub- 

 jected to exertion. A murmur usually precedes the first 

 heart sound. The subjects die young or prove worthies? 



