HEART DISEASE. 
279 
and carncB columnm were also atrophied, doubtless from dis¬ 
ease. The left side of the heart, beyond being more than 
usually developed when compared with the right side, ap¬ 
peared quite normal. The tumour protruded nearly an inch 
into the ventricle. The base of the tumour would measure 
fully three inches in diameter, and it was about two inches in 
height. I made a careful examination of its structure (assisted 
by a surgeon in this town) with the microscope, but we were 
not able to determine its real nature. An examination of the 
walls of the heart showed nothing like fatty degeneration. 
The tumour seemed to be a homogeneous mass, covered with 
a glistening membrane ; there was no appearance of fat- 
globules, cells, nor fibres of any description. 
On making a more careful examination of its attachment 
round the auriculo-ventricular opening, this was found to be 
perfectly closed, except a small aperture that would only admit 
a goose quill on the inner side towards the septum, so that it 
was the blood rushing through this circumscribed space 
which had given rise to the rushing sound heard on ausculta¬ 
tion. I have preserved this very interesting specimen. I 
never saw nor heard of anything like it myself, and it is 
diiiicult to understand how such an extensive morbid lesion of 
this character could have existed so long without proving 
fatal; one would think even temporary interference with the 
integrity of the auriculo-ventricular opening would be neces¬ 
sarily fatal, such is not the case however, as this specimen 
shows. 
I have shown the specimen to several medical gentlemen 
in this town, and also to Mr. Lawson of Manchester, all of 
whom expressed surprise at such extreme departure from the 
normal condition of j^arts being compatible with life. 
I believe the animal might have lived a considerable time 
had she been left undisturbed in her box; but the exertion 
of walking: to the kennels had been too much for her. I 
need not add that the result of this post-mortem examination 
was very satisfactory to me, and I trust the report of it may 
he of some interest to my professional brethren. 
