278 
HEART DISEASE. 
a gate. I saw her for the first time on the 24th October; 
she was not much emaciated, hut her whole appearance was 
very unthrifty and indicated something seriously amiss. The 
symptoms Avere as follows: Pulse 60, and distinctly inter¬ 
mittent, only occasionally perceptible at the jaw ; very Avell 
marked venous regurgitations; anasarcal enlargement of the 
limbs; pendulous SAvellings between the fore legs and'under the 
abdomen. Auscultation discovered a rushing sound as of some 
fluid being forcibly driven through a small aperture, as Avell 
as other sounds less easily described, but warranting me in 
concluding that disease of the heart, probably depending on 
some obstruction, Avas the cause of distress in my patient. 
There Avas general listlessness, hut no cough, nor any parti¬ 
cular distress of breathing. I informed the oAvner as to my 
opinion of the nature of the case. On being desired to pre¬ 
scribe for her, I recommended quietness, generous diet, and 
good care generally as the only means that could he of any 
service in the case. I may here state that for the first fort- 
niglit after being taken up, she fed Avell on corn, hay, bran, 
&c., and, indeed, up to the time of her being sent aAvay, 
continued to feed pretty Avell. My next visit Avas on the 
14th November, Avhen all the symptoms Avere much aggra¬ 
vated, her legs Avere more filled,” and she looked more miser¬ 
able than Avhen I saAv her last. I noAV thought it proper to 
inform the OAvner that I considered the case a hopeless one, 
and thjit he might send her to the kennels as soon as he 
pleased, desiring to be informed Avhen she Avas to he de¬ 
stroyed, that I might have an opportunity of examining her 
post-mortem. 
She Avas taken to the kennels a distance of two miles, 
Avhich she Avalked pretty Avell, on the 16th, and as she Avas 
not required for immediate use, she Avas put into a field. 
I got notice next morning, hoAvever, that she had been found 
dead, having died during the night. 
Post-mortem .—The abdominal viscera presented no unu¬ 
sual appearance ; pelvic viscera healthy. The lungs, further 
than being congested, Avere healthy. On looking at the 
heart externally it was considerably larger than usual 
and of a clay colour. The left auricle Avas collapsed and 
empty. The right Avas standing out prominently as if filled 
by a clot. I opened the right auricle first, and Avas surprised 
to find its cavity filled Avith a dense yellowish tumour, conical, 
apex upAvards, base protruding through the auriculo-ventri- 
cular opening, and as far as I could see at the time com¬ 
pletely obliterating that opening. The Avails of the ventricle 
Avere much thinner than usual, the valves, chordce tendince, 
