On opening the pericardium
it was found to be filled with blood-clot, and on washing this
away a laceration about 1 1/2 inches in length was found in the
left ventricle; the aperture was closed by a recent clot. The
cavities of the heart were dilated, the walls thin and in
advanced stage of fatty degeneration. There was no valvular
disease. The aorta and its main branches were atheromatous. Both
lungs contained calcifying tubercle; the abdomen was loaded with
fat; the spleen was soft; the kidneys were engorged, but
otherwise healthy.
Stokes gives the case of a man who was severely crushed between
the arms of a water-wheel of great size and the embankment on
which the axle of the wheel was supported; a peculiar factor of
the injury being that his heart was displaced from left to right.
At the time of report, after recovery from the injury, the
patient exhibited remarkable tolerance of great doses of
digitalis. When not taking digitalis, his pulse was 100 to 120,
regular, and never intermittent.
Hypertrophy of the Heart.--The heart of a man of ordinary size
weighs nine ounces, and that of a woman eight; in cases of
hypertrophy, these weights may be doubled, although weights above
25 ounces are rare.
Pages:
1238
1239
1240
1241
1242
1243
1244
1245
1246
1247
1248
1249
1250
1251
1252
1253
1254
1255
1256
1257
1258
1259
1260
1261
1262