PIECE or WIRE IN HEART OF A HEIFER. 
264 
The only account of the post-mortem examination which I 
have been able to obtain is that there was a considerable depo¬ 
sit of lymph between the heart and the pericardium, and also a 
tolerably firm adhesion between these two organs, the extent 
of which is indicated by the white appearance of the external 
surface of the heart. The pericardium was likewise adhering* 
to the sternum by extensive effusions of the same character. 
The animal was quite fat, and had accumulated flesh much 
faster than another heifer which stood in the same stall 
with her. No examination was made either of the diaphragm 
or stomachs, with a view of ascertaining if these organs were 
free from any lesions. 
The whole of the external surface of the heart, but 
especially its right side, was covered with a thin layer of 
flocculent lymph. The pericardium had been removed, and 
was not forwarded with the organ ; but doubtless a similar 
deposit had taken place on its inner surface, so as to unite the 
sac partially to the heart. One end of the piece of wire was 
protruding from the wall of the left ventricle, at its lower 
third, to the extent of about half an inch, and the other end 
had penetrated and was located in the ca/nue columnce, extend¬ 
ing obliquely upwards to their summit. It was of the 
size known as No. 16, and was three and a half inches in 
length. Its track through the wall of the ventricle and 
carnas columnae was marked chiefly by the presence of some 
clotted blood. A small amount only of congestion existed 
in the surrounding muscular structure, and here arid there, 
both in the substance of the outer wall and also in the septum 
ventriculorum effusions of lymph to about the size of a pea 
had taken place, which in two or three places were changing 
into pus. The lining membrane of the left ventricle was, how¬ 
ever, free from disease, as was that of both auricles and likewise 
of the right ventricle. A little below the place of entry of the 
wire another small, punctured wound existed, which evidently 
was produced bv the same agent. This wound did not, 
however, extend more than the fourth part of an inch into 
the muscular structure of the heart, and, like the large 
one, it was also surrounded only with a slight amount of 
congestion. 
Similar foreign agents have occasionally been found in the 
heart of the ox, and it would appear that metallic substances, 
having been swallowed with the food, they, after a time, 
penetrate the coats of the reticulum, and next the diaphragm, 
on its left side, thus entering the thoracic cavitv near to the 
apex of the heart.] 
