HEART AFFECTIONS. 413 
a spasm, which some high in profession say is neuralgaic 
Others deny this and affirm it to be rhevmatic. It matters 
little, as they are both of the same class. The cure is the thing 
to know, and we are happy to say that in the antispasmodic 
tincture we have a reliable remedy, from a half to a teaspoonful 
in alike amount of cold or warm water. Taken at the beginning 
of the spasm, it relaxes at once, and it also acts as a preventive. 
Look after the general health, take the digestive food, 
compound leptandrum pd. for regulating the bowels; don’t use 
stimulants, nor engage in violent exercise, for this is usually 
the inducing cause. The treatment of the faculty is now the 
inhalation of nitrate of amyl, which is encased in globules, 
one of them is broken and inhaled. It is well to have some- 
thing at hand, as itis very sudden. Before leaving these heart 
troubles, let us give a few symptoms which will enable the 
reader to determine the four principal heart conditions. 
Atrophy or wasting of the heart may be concluded from the 
general debility of the patient, giddiness, fainting, feeble and 
irregular pulse, painful and.oppressive breathing, cold 
extremities, puffy countenance, extreme prostration. 
Hypertrophy, by the enlargement and increased force of 
the action, percussion; and inspecting the chest, will also 
confirm the diagnosis. 
Dilatation may be known. by the tremulous, fluttering, 
irregularity of the pulse, . fullness of the veins, in some of 
which a pulsation may be. felt, difficulty of breathing, 
drowsiness, and general debility. 
Valvular disease may be determined by the stout, puffy 
appearance of the patient, difficult breathing. It is generally 
associated with degeneration of the liver or other internal 
organs. What Solomon wrote in his book of Proverbs 
regarding the affections, called the heart—‘‘ Keep thy heart 
with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life ”—-we would 
transpose somewhat and say, Look after your health with 
all diligence, and your heart, will look after itself, as it works 
on independently of our will power. 
