OBSERVATIONS ON SOME DISEASES OF THE HEART. 433 
some means to render the blood more liquid and less coagulable 
during life. I have already mentioned bleeding as the most ef- 
fectual method. An increased quantity of fluid would be next in 
efficacy. Some medicines may also possess this property, but 
that does not appear to be sufficiently proved to merit much con- 
fidence. 
I beg my readers to pardon this digression, but my subject led 
to it: besides, facts are always worth publishing. 
As to variola, it appears to me to be demonstrated, 
1. That this disease is very frequent in the dog. 
2. That it is contagious in him as well as in other animals. 
3. That inoculation gives it a milder character, and that this 
operation should undoubtedly be practised when variola is pre- 
vailing among the dogs in any district. 
4. That very simple treatment suffices when the disease runs its 
regular course. 
5. It results from what has been stated, that the vaccine dis- 
ease cannot be communicated to the dog by inoculation. 
Journal des Haras, 
[This is an interesting and valuable paper, but it does not quite 
suit with our experience on this side of the water. Will some 
of our correspondents favour us with their opinion on certain 
points contained in it? When somewhat at leisure — two or 
three months hence — we shall probably have a word to say 
about it. — Y.] 
OBSERVATIONS ON SOME DISEASES OF THE 
HEART. 
By M. Francois Delalande, M.V., Oucry. 
The profound obscurity in which veterinary practice has, until 
lately, been involved with regard to the diseases of the heart and 
pericardium — the absence of all characteristic symptoms, by the 
aid of which we may recognise, in an unequivocal manner, their 
existence during life, and the want of the necessary pathological 
facts to state them with precision ; induce me to lay before my 
brethren the observations which I have made on animals affected 
with these diseases. 
Perhaps, however, it is my previous duty to examine the little 
which our masters have said about it, and also the opinions and 
scientific observations that medical men have held and propa- 
gated on this subject. 
“ Carditis, properly so called,’ 7 says Hurtrel d’Arboval, “ that 
