any other valvular disease. You can hear a soft blowing
sound by listening with your ear.

NARROWING (Aortic Stenosis).--Caused by chronic endocarditis, etc. Their
valve segments are usually adherent to each other by their margins and are
thickened and distorted.

Symptoms.--When compensation is gone, diminished blood in the brain causes
dizziness and faintness.

MITRAL INSUFFICIENCY OR INCOMPETENCY.--This is the most common valvular
disease. The segments of the valve may be shortened and deformed. There is
often stenosis (narrowing) caused by this deformity. The effects are
regurgitation, flowing back of blood from the left ventricle into the left
auricle, which is also receiving blood from the lungs, causing dilatation
of the auricle and its enlargement to expel the extra blood; dilatation
and other enlargement of the left ventricle occurs on account of the large
quantity of blood forced in by the auricle; obstruction to flow of blood
from pulmonary veins due to extra blood in left auricle, hence dilatation
and enlargement of right ventricle which forces blood through the lungs;
dilatation and enlargement of right auricle.

Symptoms.--If compensation is slightly disturbed we have blueness
(cyanosis), clubbing of the fingers, hard breathing on exertion, and
attacks of bronchitis and bleeding from the lungs. If compensation is
seriously disturbed we are likely to have the blueness (cyanosis) more
marked, heart beat feeble and irregular, constant hard breathing, with
cough and water or bloody sputum, dropsy in the feet first and going up
and involving the abdomen and chest cavities.

MITRAL STENOSIS.--This is the narrowing of the valve opening. It is most
common in young persons, chiefly females. The narrowing of the valve
opening may be due to thickening or hardening of the valve segments,
adhesion of their edges, thickening and contraction of the tendinous cords
of the valve ring.

Symptoms.--Similar to mitral insufficiency, but they develop slower and
those symptoms of venous congestion of the lungs, liver, etc., are more
marked; bleeding from the lungs is more common.

[344 MOTHERS' REMEDIES]

TRICUSPID (VALVE) INSUFFICIENCY.--Cause.--Usually due to dilatation of the
right ventricle in mitral disease or with lung emphysema or other
obstruction to the lungs' circulation.

TRICUSPID STENOSIS (NARROWING).--Rare except in cases from the time of
birth.

Recovery from the valvular disease, depends