Irregularity in the action of the heart is a functional derangement, and not do to organic disease. It occurs in horses that are in feeble health and out of condition, or that have been subject to severe and straining exercise, such as pulling a heavy load uphill or running hard with the hounds. Anemic Palpitation CAUSE.—Poverty of blood. SYMPTOMS.—A dull, thumping sound is heard to proceed from the cavity of the chest, which, in extreme cases, may be heard on both sides, and may even be audible at a distance of some yards, corresponding to the beatings of the heart and pulse; tumultuous breathing, redness of the mucous membranes, increased temperature of the body. Auscultation will detect blood sounds in the neighborhood of the heart, large arteries, and veins. These “anemic murmurs” vary with the condition of the blood, and are caused by its “churning” as it passes through the traversing channels of the heart. They constitute a continuous hum, or the “_bruit de diable_” of the French. In some cases the action of the heart is so great that it causes shaking or jerking of the whole body. PROGNOSIS.—When the palpitation does not proceed from any organic disease, we may expect to remove it in a very short time by appropriate homeopathic remedies. A dose of A.A. often relieves an attack. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SO CALLED SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM (PALPITATION) AND TRUE SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM (HICCOUGH). ──────────────────────────────────┬────────────────────────────────── SO CALLED SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM.│ TRUE SPASM OF THE DIAPHRAGM. ──────────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────────── Hiccough is seldom present. │Hiccough is always present. The action of the abdominal │The action of the abdominal muscles is increased and the │muscles at the flank is heaving of the flanks is quite │imperceptible. visible. In those cases, where │ Palpitation occurs from a hard run│ with the hounds, the diaphragm │ becomes tired, the abdominal │ muscles come to its assistance in │ carrying on the respiration and │ the heart’s action is increased in│ order to overcome the obstacle │ which probably exists in the │ pulmonary arteries. │ The flanks are tucked up. │There is great fullness in the │flanks from the abdominal viscera │being pushed backwards. Spasm of the Diaphragm There is a form of palpitation which has received this designation, and has been mistaken for a functional disorder of the diaphragm, or excessive motion of the abdominal muscles. True Spasm of the Diaphragm is Hiccough; and in this condition there are no such sounds as characterize Palpitation.