292 
A CASE OF CARDITIS. 
The immediate cause of this paralytic affection, or connected 
with its occult cause, was the obstinate constipation and difficulty 
of voiding urine which existed ; and these were caused by the 
tonic excitants that were given to the mare after parturition. 
Why employ so often, and so prejudicially, these stimulating 
drinks, which can rarely produce good effect, and are almost in- 
variably fraught with evil 1 Why, above all things, give them 
after a successful parturition 1 It were to be wished that the per- 
sons charged with the care of these animals at the time of labour, 
would think less of the weakness of the patient, which rarely 
exists, and more of the extraordinary excitation of the vital pow- 
ers, which, in the majority of cases, is the evil to be dreaded. 
That which induces me to think that an error of this kind was 
the cause of the disease, is the rapid good effect which was pro- 
duced by the antifebrile system pursued. I do think that the 
system of purgation which I adopted, in order to soften the indu- 
rated contents of the rectum caused by the exhibition of tonic 
excitants and the peculiar action of the nux vomica, materially 
contributed to the fortunate result of the case. 
Rec. de Mid. Vet., 1836, p. 285. 
A CASE OF CARDITIS. 
DROPSY OF THE PERICARDIUM AND DISCHARGE OF TARRY 
FJECAL MATTER. 
By Mr. W. A. Cartwright, of Whitchurch. 
A cow belonging to Mr. Beckett, of Hoss Green, has had the gar- 
get in the off-hind quarter for nearly two months, and a great quantity 
of matter has been discharged therefrom. Latterly it has been very 
much lessened in size, and appeared to be got nearly well, and she 
was come to her milk almost as perfectly as before her calving. On 
Sunday night, the 20th of August last, when she was fetched up to 
be milked, she yielded a little less than usual. This, however, was 
thought little of, as she had varied in consequence of the garget. She 
was then turned out with the rest of the cows, and was going to be 
put with them into some hedgerow for the first time (she had lately 
been with another cow in a barer pasture near the house). The other 
cows were put in, but the cowman, observing a black tarry dis- 
charge from the anus, and suspecting that there was something the 
matter with her, similar to one that died awhile before, she was 
turned back; but before she had walked far she fell down, got up 
again, and fell once more. The fleams were immediately fetched : 
about six quarts of blood were taken from her, and twelve 
