Diseases of the heart in domestic animals. 
499 
ORIGINAL ARTICLES. 
DISEASES OF THE HEART IN DOMESTIC ANIMALS, 
ESPECIALLY THE HORSE. 
By Fr. Blazekovio. 
(Translated by J. G. Meyer, Sr., V.S .) 
Continued from page 456. 
Anomalies of the Valves and Ostium. 
All alterations on the valves, as relaxation and laceration of the 
tissue, shriveling, growing together of the points, new formation 
of the cellular tissue, formation of callosities, are mostly the pro¬ 
ducts of preceding inflammation, which is known as endocarditis, 
including the lining of the valves. In such cases the valves are 
generally insufficient, whereby the returning blood is admitted 
into such cavities, which, under normal circumstances, are shut 
off. If, on the other hand, the ostium of the cavity of the heart 
be contracted in such a manner that obstructions prevent the in¬ 
flux of blood, such a condition is termed stenosa. The valves are 
larger or smaller, hypertrophied or atrophied ; the enlargement is 
almost constant, with the expansion of the ostium. In a less 
degree of insufficiency, the bicuspid and tricuspid valves become 
thickened, due to the new formation of the cellular tissue, also 
shortened, cartilaginous, frayed at some place's, and often grown 
together and distorted. The outer surface is sometimes studded 
with protuberances and warts, sometimes with calcareous, creta¬ 
ceous, and ossified small knots. Such changes give rise to insuf¬ 
ficiency of the bicuspid and tricuspid valves, then to the semilunar 
and aortic valves, less frequently to that of the pulmonary artery. 
By reason of defective function this alteration also produces sten¬ 
osis of the cavities of the heart and changes on the valves. 
By a contraction of the ventricle a portion of the blood con¬ 
tained therein, which ought to flow into the arteries entirely, is 
forced backward into the auricle which is already filled with blood. 
In consequence of the difficult flow of blood out of the auricle, the 
blood of the discharging veins naturally becomes stagnated. But, 
