270 OHAPTEE 31. 



the intestines often contain blood, and the abdominal cavity a quantitj 

 of serum, or sanguineous fluid. 



The disease may also terminate in effusion of serum into the abdominal 

 cavity, otherwise called Ascites. This termination •will be apparent by a 

 dropsical state of the legs and sheath, as well as by swellings under the 

 l)elly. There will be tenderness on the application of pressure to the 

 l)elly, and also a straggling gait of the hind quarters in walking. The 

 breathing will be quickened, short and painful, and the patient may pro- 

 bably lie down at full length and groan. The treatment of such an after- 

 result will consist in good nursing, in careful and judicious, but not over- 

 feeding, with nutritious diet, and in the administration of tonics. In due 

 time, as strength returns, the absorbents and blood-vessels will take up 

 the effusion. 



546. After-treatmevt. 



The after-treatment will need great care and attention, especially as 

 regards the diet. The membrane of the intestines will remain for some 

 time in a delicate and susceptible state. Soft food of an easily digested 

 character such as grass, bran mashes, linseed and carrots, should be 

 su^jplied, for some days or weeks according to circumstances ; and when 

 oats are again allowed, they should be bruised, lest their hard ends should 

 cause renewed irritation. It is a good plan to bruise or crush the oats 

 in all cases where they are given after bowel diseases. A second attack 

 supervening on the previous disease will almost certainly be fatal. The 

 other measures required have been already pretty fiilly described in 

 Chapter 15, on Good Nursing. 



CHAPTER 31. 



MAD AND SLEEPY STAGGEES. 



547. Nahire of the diseases. 548. Symptoms of derangement of the 

 Brain. 549. Symptoms of Sleepy Staggers or coma arising primarily 

 from affection of the Brain. 550. Symptoms of Sleepy Staggers arising 

 primarily from the Stomach. 551. Connection hetween the Stomacli and 

 the Brain. 552. Symptoms of Mad Staggers, Encephalitis, or Phrenitis. 

 553. Post-mortem examination. 554. Causes of Sleepy and Mad Staggers. 

 555. The Brain. 556. Treatment. 557. After-treatment. 558. After- 

 effects. 559. Apoplexy. 560. Treatment. 



547. Nature of the diseases. 



Mad Staggers, othei-wise called Encephalitis, Phrenitis, or Brain Fever, 

 — and Sleepy Staggers or Coma, and such like diseases, may be classed 

 under the general head of functional derangement of the Brain. 



I 



