142 The Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



form of inflammation arising from the above causes, 

 and, as I have said before, it most commonly appears 

 when the horse is over-driven. When attacked it will 

 suddenly stop and shake its head, having been seized 

 with giddiness and a slight degree of unconsciousness. 

 If allowed to stop for a few minutes this will go off, 

 and it will be enabled to proceed on its journey, but it 

 not unfrequenlly happens that the attack is of a more 

 severe kind, and under such circumstances will fall 

 suddenly or run round two or three times and then fall. 

 Sometimes it will lie quite quietly in a state of com- 

 plete torpor, at other times it will struggle with great 

 violence, yet still be unable to rise. In either of these 

 conditions it will lie from five to ten minutes, when it 

 will gradually resume sensibility, and then will be able 

 to get upon its feet and proceed on its journey. After 

 these attacks it generally exhibits symptoms of dullness 

 and exhaustion. Immediately after the first attack of 

 this disease resource should be had to bleeding, and that 

 right plentifully. Three or four quarts of blood should 

 be taken from the neck, which generally has the effect of 

 arresting the symptoms. I am induced to the belief 

 that in staggers there is an excess of fibrine in the blood, 

 consequently copious bleeding will reduce the quantity 

 of blood in the system at the time and allow nature to 

 regain its equilibrium, and by the judicious administra- 

 tion of medicine enable the horse to make a fresh supply 

 of pure blood. For this purpose give nitrate of potass 

 three drachms every time the horse drinks ; give a physic 

 ball composed of the following : — Barbadoes aloes six 

 drachms, ginger two drachms, calomel two drachms, 



