198 
HYPERTROPHY OF THE HEART. 
chief object being to get the bowels to act, and throw off the 
vitiated ingesta, and that as speedily as possible. Should 
the purgative not act, Quinine in 5ss doses, combined with 
Acid. Sulph., gtt. xxx, will be found very effectual in restoring 
tone to the stomach, and materially assist in producing 
purgation. If the head symptoms are very bad, or should 
frenzy seize the animal, which occasionally occurs, then 
dashing cold water on the head will be found of essential 
service. 
This disease occurs in horses and sheep as well as in 
cattle, but in the former is by no means so violent or fatal as 
in the latter. 
CASE OF HYPERTROPHY OF THE HEART. 
By W. H. Dyer, M.R.C.V.S., Waterford. 
Having read in your Journal the description of a case of 
hypertrophy of the heart, with some remarks by Assist¬ 
ant-Professor Varnell, it has brought to my mind a case 
of the same kind which I was called to see in June of last 
year. 
The horse was about five-and-twenty years old, had been 
a splendid hunter, and had carried his owner about twenty 
seasons. He was almost always in a perfect state of health, 
and was known as being: very excitable with hounds. I had 
known the animal about ten years, during which time he has 
had but an occasional dose of aloes. 
In the early part of June last I was hurriedly sent for to 
see the horse in question, which 1 was informed was falling 
about as if affected with colic. Upon my arrival I examined 
the state of his heart and respiratory apparatus, and found 
the former beating but twenty-four times per minute—laboured 
and intermittent; respiration excited ; eye amaurotic. To use 
a vulgar phrase, he was as “ blind a-s a bat” Though he stag¬ 
gered like a drunken man, he w r as, nevertheless, free from 
pain; at least, he did not suffer acutely. I gave him a 
sedative, which I deemed best to quiet the system, conjoined 
with a slight laxative, had him removed to a loose box, and 
cautioned the attendants to take care he did not fall upon 
them. The treatment adopted had the effect of relieving 
the symptoms; the heart’s action increased, respiration be¬ 
came less excited and eventually tranquil, and the eye re- 
