i(,2 THE HORSE. 



occasionally die on the spot, and peculiarly dangerous to those who drive 

 nim, for there will frequently be no warning or opportunity to escape. It 

 likewise happens, that whether the vessels have been weakened by this vio- 

 lent distension, and afterwards offer less resistance to the flow of blood, or, 

 whatever be the cause, a horse that has once been attacked by megrims is 

 very subject to a return of the complaint. No prudent man will drive a 

 horse that has had a second attack, especially if, in the intermediate time, 

 he has taken proper means to prevent a recurrence of the fit. 



At the moment of attack, a person who is able to bleed should take three 

 or four quarts of blood from the neck ; or any one can cut the barr of the 

 palate in the manner explained where we describe the palate, and whence a 

 considerable and sufficient quantity of blood may be readily obtained. The 

 driver should pat and soothe the animal, and carefully examine the harness, 

 and pursue his journey as gently as circumstances will permit. When he 

 gets home, a dose of physic* should be administered, if the horse can be 

 spared, and the quantity of dry food lessened, and mashes given, or green 

 meat, or the horse should be turned out at night, or turned out altogether 

 for two or three months. 



APOPLEXY. 



. The attack sometimes assumes a still more violent form. The horse falls 

 and dies at once. It then rather resembles, or is the same with apoplexy in 

 the human being. To this more serious form of the disease he is subject 

 in the stable, and even at pasture ; but there is generally some warning. 

 He will be seen with the head low, extended almost to the ground, and 

 •supported against the manger. He staggers as he stands. If moved, he 

 appears as if he would fall. His sight and hearing are evidently affected. 

 This is not mad-staggers, for no inflammation of the brain is found ; nor 

 stomach-staggers, for there is no distension of the stomach. The horse 

 will continue in this way from one hour to twelve. He then falls ; — 

 grinds his teeth ; — his eyes are open, protruded, and fixed — the pupil is 

 dilated ; — there are twitchings about the frame ; — the muzzle is cold ; — 

 the vein of the neck is evidently swelled ; — he is unable to swallow ; — the 

 drink is returned by the nostril or the mouth, and the dung often voided 

 involuntarily ; — the twitchings increase to strong convulsions, and death 

 speedily closes the scene. 



If there be time for medical treatment, the course to be pursued is plain 

 enough. Bleed copiously ;f — take at once eight or ten quarts. Bleed from 

 a vein in preference to an artery, for an artery which supplies the brain 

 cannot be got at. Bleed from the jugular or common neck- vein, for that 

 returns the blood from the brain, and a large quantity rapidly drawn from 

 this vein may possibly give relief. Next back-rake, or remove the dung 

 from the lower intestine with the hand, and give a dose of physic : but the 

 case is usually hopeless, and the most decisive and skilful treatment alone 

 can avail. We decidedly object to two methods of cure adopted by sonrie 

 farriers, and farmers too. The first is to blow pepper (and Cayenne pep- 

 per if they can get it) up the nostrils of the horse. The violent sneezing 

 that will be produced, if the animal is not too insensible, must probably, or 

 almost certainly, rupture some of the vessels already over-distended. The 

 other practice is to give spices and bark to rouse the animal. The effect 



• By physic, whenever the word occurs in this Treatise, we mean purgrafive medicine, 

 + Full directions for bleeding will be given when we describe the various operatioM 

 which it may be necessary to perform on the horse. 



