GENERAL DISEASES. 



339 



The back was also arched. When lying down or resting, the 

 head had a tremulous, but not persistent motion ; the limbs, 

 however, were continually twitching. I inserted a seton at 

 the back of the ears. The same afternoon, before medicinal 

 treatment was commenced, the animal died. 



I made a post-mortem examination for the purpose of 

 ascertaining the condition of the heart, as the case being of 

 long standing, and complicated with rheumatism, I expected 

 to find cardiac mischief. On making a section through the 

 right ventricle, and exposing the tricuspid valve, I found the 

 latter thickened and rough, beyond which there was nothing 

 abnormal to be seen ; but an examination of the left ventri- 

 cle revealed the presence of an ante-mortem clot seven- 

 eights of an inch in length, wedge-shaped, tapering to a point. 

 It was the sixteenth of an inch thick, white in color, and 

 fibrous, having on its upper surface a dark, recent blood- 

 clot. This ante-mortem clot was immediately below and 

 partly attached to the mitral valve, the latter being much in- 

 flamed ; the tapering or pointed end was unattached. 



I have endeavored, by means of the accompanying illus- 

 tration, to give a more exact idea of the appearance the heart, 

 valve, and clot presented. (Fig. 33.) 



Fig. 33- 

 Heart of Dog, Left Ventricle open. i. Mitral Valve, inflamed. 

 2. Ante-Mortem Fibrinous Clot. 



