112 The Farmer's Veterinary Adviser. 



membranes, or it may coexist witli a general wasting and 

 imperfect nutrition of the body. 



The Symptoms are the opposite of those of hypertrophy. 

 There are the general signs of chronic heart-disease, but 

 percussion which gives satisfactory results only over the 

 breast-bone and iu carnivora gives almost the sole reliable 

 symptom — a decreased area of dullness. Little can be 

 done to relieve, and that little directed to the removal of 

 its causes. By keeping fattening animals quiet they may 

 be preserved for slaughter. 



DILATATION OF THE HEAKT. 



This like hypertrophy usually results from some ob- 

 struction to the circulation, but especially from a sudden 

 extreme obstruction, whereas hypertrophy results from a 

 slowly increasing obstacle. It is also exceedingly common 

 in cases of fatty degeneration in overfed stock (cattle, 

 sheep, pigs). 



Symptoms. Loss of appetite, spirit and endurance, 

 faintness and difficulty of breathing on the slightest exer- 

 tion, habitual coldness of the limbs, dropsy, unsteady 

 gait, venous pulse, palpitations, weak tremulous heart 

 impulse, murmur with the first sound, small weak irregu- 

 ular and often intermittent pulse, and lividity of the 

 membrane of the nose. 



Treatment. Unless the causes can be put a stop to in 

 the early stages no treatment wiU be satisfactory. Ar- 

 senic is sometimes useful in horses. Fattening animals 

 should be kept very quiet and their progress hastened if 

 possible. 



PEEIGAKDITIS. 



This is inflammation of the fibrous covering of the 

 heart and its reflection on the pleurae, and is due to similar 

 causes with diseases of the lungs. It is also induced by 

 influenza, pleuro-pneumonia, rheumatism, and wounds 

 with sharp-pointed bodies (pins, needles, naUs, broken 

 ribs, etc.) 



