American Veterinary Review, 
DECEMBER, 1883. 
ORIGINAL ARTICLES. 
DISEASES OF THE HEART, 
(Paper read before the N. Y. State Veterinary Society.) 
By W. J. Coates, M.D., V.S. 
Mr. President and Gentlemen : 
Comparatively speaking, diseases of the heart are of rare 
occurrence in the domesticated animals, and when they do occur 
are very difficult to diagnosticate, on account of the situation, po¬ 
sition and relations of the heart to the chest walls, also the amount 
of muscular tissue covering the chest walls, and the position of 
the scapular with the extensor muscles of the forearm filling up 
the angle formed by the scapula and humerus ; nevertheless a 
physical examination of the chest will determine a great many of 
the diseases which the heart is liable to, which have been over¬ 
looked during life, and only found on post mortem. Therefore we 
should become familiar with the normal sounds of the heart, and 
with its relations to the wall of the chest, although we cannot 
with accuracy mark off the various portions of the heart, valves 
and blood-vessels, as they are in the human subject, but at least 
we can get a general idea of the situation, position and relations 
of the normal heart, which will enable us to detect a number of 
abnormalities, together with the rational and physical signs or 
symptoms arising from the various diseases the heart is liable to, 
