FATTY DEGENERATION OP THE HEART. 



Causes, improvement in the direction of easy fattening, inactive life, best 

 breeds of butcher cattle and pigs suffer. Symptoms, weak, irregular, inter- 

 mittent pulse, palpitation, unfitness for exertion, general heart symptoms. 



In addition to the fibrous and bony transformations to which 

 the sub.stance of the heart's walls is subject, a fatty metamorphosis 

 is frequently met with. In most cases the fat accumulates in 

 ■great masses externally, but in others the muscular tissue has to 

 a greater or less extent lost its natural structure and fatty granules 

 have taken the place of the sarcous elements. In overfed oxen 

 the right cavities of the heart rarely escape dilatation, and this 

 condition is very often accompanied by the fatty change. 

 Virchow has shown that highbred English pigs imported into 

 Germany are subject to a similar affection of the heart and of the 

 entire muscular system. It may occur during wasting diseases 

 and from phosphorous poisoning. 



The symptoms are weak, irregular and intermitting puke, pal- 

 pitation on excitement, weakness of the heart's impulse in the 

 intervals, incapacity for exertion, sighing, Cheyne-Stokes respira- 

 tion, loss of control over the limbs when hurriedly driven and 

 tendency to dropsy. It is often associated with dilatation, is rarely 

 distinguishable from it in life, and is equally beyond remedial 

 measures. The feeding animals most commonly affected can 

 usually be fattened if removed from all sources of excitement. 

 In case of phosphorous poisoning improvement takes place when 

 the poison is stopped. 



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