A CASE OF CARDITIS. 
453 
three pints, the pony fainted. The sight was now most distress- 
ing; — the profuse sweating, staggering, and the heaving of the 
flanks, the heart’s quick and forcible action, and the peculiar 
retchings of the body, were past describing. I must leave you 
to imagine its state, for I cannot picture to you any thing like its 
sufferings under, as I presume, its fainting condition. During 
this struggling the bowels acted, a free purge (I fancy not an in- 
tended evacuation, but in consequence of the retching) took 
place. After this there appeared to be a twitching of the bowels, 
for the posture and paddling of the animal gave an impression 
that there was evidently irritation or griping pains in the bowels. 
I at once gave the proper sedative medicine in some gruel, and 
also injections. The fainting state lasted full half an hour, and 
we were obliged to hold the animal up. The heart continued 
beating upwards of 100 pulsations in a minute. The legs were 
clothed and bandaged, and free air admitted into the stable. 
3 d , a.m. — The pony had taken during the afternoon and night 
four doses of the sedative medicine. The same medicine was 
ordered to be continued. No alteration in the action of the heart 
(110 per minute), and it can still be heard before we enter the 
stable. The nostrils are wider than in their natural state, and the 
breathing short and quick. The patient gets very anxious not to 
be left, and follows us round the loose box. A blister was now 
applied to the sides of the chest, which acted well;./ At night the 
patient took a little water, but there was no other symptom of 
amendment, and my prognosis was still a fatal one. 
4 th, a.m. — Strange alteration. We cannot hear the heart as 
before, but it is distinct to the feeling (112 per minute). He has 
drunk a little gruel and eaten a little grass. The nostrils dilated. 
At times the pony neighed, as though after his attendants or 
fellow ponies. All that saw him imagined him better to-day. 
The medicine was continued. We tried to take away a little 
blood, but the stream was slow, and in small quantity. The 
blister has acted uncommonly well. 
p.m. — The pony has laid down twice, yet no other improve- 
ment. 
6th . — The pulsation of the heart scarcely to be felt by apply- 
ing the ear. When detected, the pulsations are feeble and 
quick (from 110 to 120 per minute), with breathing accelerated ; — 
he occasionally lies down, but is uneasy when down. He died 
this morning. 
On opening the chest, the lungs were found to be discoloured : 
but there was not any particular disease about them. No fluid 
thrown out by the pleura of the lungs or ribs ; but the course 
of the aorta was seen spotted with inflammation in the thorax. 
