THE 
VOL. XXV, 
No. 289. 
JANUARY 1852 
Third Series, 
No. 49. 
DISEASE OF THE HEART IN THE COW AND HORSE. 
By Thomas Shenton, M.R.C.V.S., Bakewell, Derbyshire. 
Case I, WAS an aged cow of the short-horned breed 
(belonging to a carrier at Youlgreave, a short distance off) 
which I was summoned in haste to see on Sunday, March 23d. 
She had been observed gradually to lose flesh for some time, 
and had been subject to repeated attacks of diarrhoea, but was 
not perceived worse than usual until the morning I was called 
to visit her, when I found her very ill. Her breathing was 
much laboured, accompanied by a plaintive moan; pulse about 
90; coughing occasionally on being moved; could not be in¬ 
duced to take any food, either in the solid or liquid form; 
faeces scanty and hard, having the appearance of so much tar. 
From these symptoms, and her previous history, I could not 
but consider the case hopeless. I however made an attempt 
to bleed her, but syncope came on ere a pint of blood was 
abstracted. The orifice was immediately pinned up. When 
she was somewhat rallied I gave an aperient, combined with a 
little spt. ether, nit., and applied mustard and ol. tereb. to the 
sides. 
24 th. —Much the same in every respect as yesterday. Gave 
a pint of ol. lini; applied fresh stimulants to the sides; and 
ordered her to have some thick oatmeal gruel, to be given at 
intervals during the day. 
2 5th. —This morning she fell down, in which posture I found 
her. Her pulse was imperceptible at the jaw; in fact, it 
was quite evident^|he was fast sinking. I wished to destroy 
her, that I might make a post-mortem examination, but the 
owner would not consent; so I told him, I would come again 
for that purpose. On going again in the evening, I was told 
she died shprtly after I left. 
P°stmmrt e m. — The skin having been taken off, I pro¬ 
ceeded* ifcremove the abdominal muscles and examine each 
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