PHRENITIS. 143 



proceeding, but the inflammation may be subdued, and here the first blow is the 

 whole of the battle. The physic should be that which is most readily given and 

 will most speedily act. The farina of the croton will, perhaps, have the 

 preference. Half a drachm or two scruples of it may be fearlessly administered. 

 The intense inflammation of the brain gives sufficient assurance that no danger- 

 ous inflammation will be easily set up in the intestinal canal. This medicine 

 can be formed into a very little ball or drink, and in some momentary remission 

 of the symptoms, administered by means of the probang, or a stick, or the horn. 

 Sometimes the phrenitic horse, when he will take nothing else, and is unconscious 

 of everything else, will drink with avidity gruel or water. Repeated doses of 

 purgative medicine may perhaps be thus given, and they must be continued until 

 the bowels respond. The forehead should be blistered, if it can in any way be 

 accomplished ; yet but little service is to be expected from this manipulation. 

 The bowels having been well opened, digitalis should be administered. Its first 

 and most powerful action is on the heart, diminishing both the number and 

 strength of its pulsations. To this may be added emetic tartar and nitre, but 

 not a particle of hellebore ; for that drug, if it acts at all, produces an increased 

 determination of blood to the brain. 



While the disease continues, no attempt must be made to induce the horse to 

 feed ; and even when appetite returns with the abatement of inflammation great 

 caution must be exercised both with regard to the quantity and quality of the 

 food. 



RABIES, OR MADNESS. 



This is another and fearful disease of the nervous system. It results from 

 the bite of a rabid animal, and, most commonly, of the companion and friend of 

 the horse the coach-dog. The account now given of this malady is extracted 

 from lectures which the author of the present work delivered to his class. 



" There is occasional warning of the approach of this disease in the horse, or 

 rather of the existence of some unusual malady, the real nature of which is 

 probably mistaken. A mare, belonging to Mr. Karslake, had during ten days 

 before the recognition of the disease been drooping, refusing her food, heaving at 

 the flanks, and pawing occasionally. It was plain enough that she was indisposed, 

 but at length the furious fit came upon her, and she destroyed almost everything 

 in the stable in the course of an hour. The late Mr. Moneyment had a two- 

 years old colt brought to his establishment. It was taken ill in the afternoon 

 of the preceding day, when it first attracted attention by refusing its food, and 

 throwing itself down and getting up again immediately. From such a description, 

 Mr. Moneyment concluded that it was a case of cholic ; but, when he went into 

 the yard, and saw the pony, and observed his wild and anxious countenance, and 

 his excessive nervous sensibility, he was convinced that something uncommon 

 was amiss with him, although he did not at first suspect the real nature of 

 the case. 



The early symptoms of rabies in the horse have not been carefully observed 

 or well recorded ; but, in the majority of cases, so far as our records go, there 

 will not often be premonitory symptoms sufficiently decisive to be noticed by 

 the groom. 



The horse goes out to his usual work, and, for a certain time and distance, 

 performs it as well as he had been accustomed to do ; then he stops all at once 

 trembles, heaves, paws, staggers, and falls. Almost immediately he rises, drags 

 his load a little farther, and again stops, looks about him, backs, staggers, and 

 falls once more. This is not a fit of megrims it is not a sudden* determination 

 of blood to the brain, for the horse is not for a single moment insensible. The 

 sooner he is led home the better, for the progress of the disease is as rapid as the 



