564 
TUMOUR ON THE MESENTERY, &C. 
their orbits, and the pupils dilated — the extremities very cold, and 
the pulse difficult to be felt at the jaw. On auscultating the re- 
gion of the heart, I could scarcely hear it beat more than three 
times in a space of five minutes. The undulation in the jugular 
veins was extending to nearly the root of the ears, and his counte- 
nance betrayed approaching dissolution. He expired a very few 
hours afterwards. 
Sectio Cadaveris , about twelve hours post-mortem. — I hast- 
ened to have him examined ; and when the contents of the ab- 
domen were first exposed in situ there was not any material 
difference in their appearance from that of health : in fact, there 
was not the slightest mark of disease on the coats of the intes- 
tines. When they were opened, the small intestines were found 
to be filled with a whey-coloured fluid of a somewhat yellow tinge 
and of a most offensive smell, as also a little quantity of half- 
masticated grass swimming in the fluid. On pushing my hand 
nearer the spine I grasped a mass about the size of my fist, 
which, on pulling it out, I recognized as an enlarged mesenteric 
tumour, adhering firmly to the root of the mesenteric glands. On 
cutting into the pelvis of the kidneys a small drop of purulent 
matter escaped. The liver was of a livid blue colour, and very 
friable. Two calculi were firmly impacted in its substance. The 
spleen was enlarged and turgid with blood ; and the bladder dis- 
tended. The remainder of the viscera were perfectly healthy. 
I next proceeded to open the chest by sawing off a portion of 
the ribs and sternum, in order to have a full view of its contents. 
The lungs exhibited marks of disease of a chronic form ; the 
whole surface of the left lung was covered with spots of ecchy- 
mosis, and one portion of the pleura adhered to the side of the 
chest. This I accounted for from his having had an attack of 
pleuritis some time previous to this illness. The pericardium 
was much inflamed, and its cavity contained a fluid of a reddish 
colour, and in a considerable quantity. 
The parietes of the heart were covered with patches of bloody 
spots. On making a section of the right auricle, and continuing 
the incision downwards, a large indurated tumour came into view, 
firmlv adhering to the tricuspid valves, and which so completely 
blocked up the right aurieulo-ventricular opening that scarcely 
more than the point of my little finger could be introduced. The 
mitral valves of the left side w 7 ere also a little thickened, and the 
greater part of the chorda tendinea. After this there could be 
no doubt as to the cause of death. 
Question : — May not this abnormal structure arise from the 
heart being diseased, along with the other organs, in the repeated 
attacks of influenza ? If so, then it maybe possible that the 
