580 
Contemporary Progress of Veterinary Science 
and Art, 
By John Gamgee, M.R.C.V.S., 
Professor of Anatomy and Physiology in the Edinburgh 
Veterinary College. 
{Continued from p. 530.) 
Ectopia Cordis — continued. 
Most of the facts recorded in Alessandrini’s case, of which 
I gave a brief account in my article for September, are com- 
mon to all cases of thoracic displacement of the heart. A 
very similar account was given of an instance of the kind by 
Hering, in the Repertorium for 1849.* The calf was delivered 
by a cow that had the year before given birth to a fine well- 
made animal. The subject of this ectopia was of the middle 
size and regularly developed, except as to the position of the 
heart and a deformity consisting in permanent flexion of the 
off fore fetlock, that prevented its assuming the erect posture, 
notwithstanding repeated attempts so to do. But it mostly 
lay quiet, had a lively look, and gave no evidence of suffer- 
ing, although the heart was exposed to the atmosphere and 
laid in contact with straw. To prevent this, a linen bag was 
made to protect the heart, and kept constantly moist with 
lukewarm milk. About half a gallon of warm milk w 7 as the 
daily nourishment, which the calf freely sucked out of a 
bottle provided with a cork nozzle. 
The appearance of the tumour formed by the heart was 
precisely that described in Alessandrini’s case, and Hering 
says there was no pericardium. Some fresh cases are 
required to prove, correct or otherwise, the conjectures of 
Alessandrini, that the pericardium is generally to be dis- 
covered, but closely adhering to the substance of the heart. 
The first day, on the right side, was seen a tolerably large 
lymphatic vessel filled with clear lymph. “ The heart 
pulsated tolerably regularly ; the contractions of both ven- 
tricles appeared simultaneous, and were very distinct; much 
less evident were the contractions of the auricles ; these 
cavities, and especially the right, seemed to be always full, 
and to remain almost without contraction. At no time was 
* ‘ Beschreibung eines Kalbes mit freiliegendem Herzen (Ectopia 
eordis),’ von E. Hering. — ‘ Repertorium dci Thierheilkunde/ p. 79, 1849. 
