138 APOPLEXY. 



evidently affected and exhausted by what had happened, although not seriously 

 or permanently ill. 



At the moment of attack, a person who is competent to the task should abstract 

 three or four quarts of blood from the neck- vein ; or cut the- bars of the palate in 

 the manner to be explained when we describe that part, and whence a consider- 

 able and sufficient quantity of blood may be readily obtained. The driver 

 should pat and soothe the animal, loosen the curb rein, if possible ease the 

 collar, and pursue his journey as slowly as circumstances will permit. When 

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

 the quantity of dry food lessened, and mashes given, or green meat, or he should 

 be turned out to grass for two or three months. 



Is all this necessary because a horse has happened to have a fit of the 

 megrims ? Yes, and more too in the mind of the prudent man ; for it is seldom 

 that a horse has the megrims without the predisposition to a second attack 

 remaining. These over-distended vessels may be relieved for a while, but it is 

 long before they perfectly recover their former tone. It requires but a little 

 increased velocity or force in the vital current once more to distend them, and 

 to produce the same dangerous effects. The testimony of experience is uniform 

 with regard to this ; and he would not do justice to himself or his family who 

 trusted himself behind a horse that had a second attack of megrims. 



APOPLEXY. 



MEGRIMS is APOPLEXY under its mildest form. In the latter affection, the deter- 

 mination of blood, if not so sudden, is greater, or differently directed, or more 

 lasting. It is seldom, however, that there are not timely warnings of its approach, 

 if the carter or the groom had wit enough to observe them. The horse is a little 

 off his feed he is more than usually dull there is a degree of stupidity about 

 him, and, generally, a somewhat staggering gait. This goes off when he has 

 been out a little while, but it soon returns under a more decided character, 

 until, at length, it forces itself on the attention of the most careless. 



The actual illness is perhaps first recognised by the horse standing with his 

 head depressed. It bears upon, or is forced against the manger or the wall, and 

 a considerable part of the weight of the animal is evidently supported by this 

 pressure of the head. As he thus stands, he is balancing himself from one side 

 to the other as if he were ready to fall ; and it is often dangerous to stand near 

 to him, or to move him, for he falls without warning. If he can get his muzzle 

 into a corner, he will sometimes continue there motionless for a considerable 

 time, and then drop as if he were shot ; but, the next moment, he is up again 

 with his feet almost hi the rack. He sleeps or seems to do so as he stands, or at 

 least he is nearly or quite unconscious of surrounding objects. When he is 

 roused, he looks vacantly around him. Perhaps he will take a lock of hay if it 

 is offered to him ; but ere it is half masticated, the eye closes, and he sleeps 

 again with the food in his mouth. Soon afterwards he is, perhaps, roused once 

 more. The eye opens, but it has an unmeaning glare. The hand is moved 

 before him, but the eye closes not ; he is spoken to, but he hears not. The last 

 act of voluntary motion which he will attempt is usually to drink ; but he has 

 little power over the muscles of deglutition, and the fluid returns through the 

 nostrils. 



He now begins to foam at the mouth. His breathing is laborious and 

 loud. It is performed by the influence of the organic nerves, and those of 

 animal life no longer lend their aid. The pulse is slow and oppressed the 

 jugular vein is distended almost to bursting the muzzle is cold, and the discharge 

 of the faeces involuntary. He grinds his teeth twitchings steal over his face 

 and attack his limbs they sometimes proceed to convulsions, and dreadful 



