54 
FR. BLAZEKOVIC. 
ORIGINAL ARTICLES. 
DISEASES OF THE HEART IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, 
ESPECIALLY THE HORSE. 
By Fr. Blazekovio. 
(Translated by J. C. Meyer, Sr., V.S.) 
Continued from 'page 5. 
(C) Inflammation of the Inner Lining of the Heart. 
Endocarditis .—By the terra endocarditis, an inflammation of 
the inner lining of the heart is understood. However, it must 
be taken into consideration that the endocardium has no vessels, 
hence an inflammation is possible, not of the endocardium itself, 
but of its directly underlyiug tissue only, which is supplied with ves¬ 
sels. Probably in consequence of insufficient attention, endocarditis 
among domestic animals has as yet very rarely been an object of 
diagnosis. In horses it is found complicated with other diseases, 
as inflammation of the lungs and pleurisy ; but especially in acute 
constitutional diseases, as influenza, subacute anthrax and typhus, 
it is often found with astonishing exactness and precision of the 
symptoms. Endocarditis is artificially generated by large doses 
of digitalis. Dogs are prone to it. 
At the outset endocarditis is characterized by a sudden weari¬ 
ness and dejection, violent inflammatory fever, with slight remis¬ 
sion, high temperature, 38° to 40° C., a small, conspicuously 
quickened pulse, which may reach 90 to 120 beats, and does not 
correspond with the heart-beat. (Very often in constitutional 
diseases, anthrax, influenza, etc.) At the beginning the heart-beat, 
is strong and vehement, and is distributed over a large space of 
the region of the heart. In increased effusion the valves of the 
heart become morbidly changed, and thereby are disturbed in 
their function; the pulse now gradually becomes smaller, inter¬ 
mittent, leaping, and upon approaching death it sometimes be¬ 
comes tremulous in regular intervals. If a purulent exudation 
be the sequel of endocarditis, the last described condition is con¬ 
stant. 
