552 
TRANSLATIONS FROM CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 
Annales de Medecine Veterinaire, Bruxelles, June, 1861. 
HYDROPERICARDITIS COMPLICATED WITH HYDROTIIORAX. 
(From the Clinic of the Hospital by Professor Delwart.) 
Report of M. Erancois, Veterinary Student, 
The subject of this case was a milch cow, about nine 
years old, in good condition. There was loss of appetite and 
milk, she was constipated, and a considerable enlargement 
existed at the lower pectoral region; these phenomena had 
been perceived three or four days previous to her being 
admitted. The symptoms at this time were, countenance 
dejected, appetite capricious, temperature of the body low, 
nose dry, respiration irregular, pulse quick and small, 
mucous membranes pale, serous infiltration extended along 
the course of the trachea and under the jaw, in a similar 
manner as in cases of cachexia aquosus in the same animal, 
which the country people call bouteille (bottle). The jugular 
veins were engorged, and in appearance like two cords 
distended under the skin along the neck. These symptoms 
sufficiently indicated that the chest was the seat of the dis¬ 
order. On exploring this cavity, the plessimeter denoted a 
dull sound in the inferior fourth on the right side, and in the 
inferior third on the left; in the other part the sound was 
slightly increased. The plessimeter enabled the reporter of 
this case to draw a distinct line of demarcation between these 
parts. Auscultation furnished similar results, viz., absence 
of respiratory murmur at the points where the sound was 
dull, and increased tubular respiration in the same parts, 
while the vesicular murmur w r as slightly exaggerated in the 
other parts of the lungs. On applying the hand to the 
region of the heart, instead of the normal shock against the 
side, only a tremor could be felt; the ear detected but a dull 
bruit, as if from the depth of the chest, and as if produced 
by the motion of some liquid. This bruit was very like that 
described by M. Scheie in cases of traumatic pericarditis. 
The diagnosis of hydropericarditis, complicated with more 
or less effusion in the chest being established, the prognosis 
was not difficult. The owner’s consent being obtained, the 
animal was destroyed. The necroscopic appearances were 
as follows:—The pleural sac contained about eight litres of 
yellowish serum, some false membranes adhering to the 
diaphragm by one end, while the other floated in the serum. 
The pericardium was enormously distended, and adhered to 
the diaphragm; an incision being made in this sac, about 
