148 The Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



MAD STAGGERS OR BRAIN FEVER. 



This disease is most frequently met with in the 

 heavy breeds of horses such as are used by millers, 

 brewers, and for farm purposes, and is caused by the 

 animals being too fat and too full of blood, by the chyle 

 having too strong a tendency to widen the vessels, and 

 especially so when the horse is overheated during warm 

 weather. The fever produced thereby causes a deter- 

 mination of blood to the brain, and thus terminating in 

 what is generally denominated brain fever. This dis- 

 ease proceeds from inflammation of the brain, and in its 

 earlier symptoms it cannot be distinguished from sleepy 

 or stomach staggers ; it soon, however, assumes a 

 different character, the nostrils become distended, and it 

 commences to heave at the flanks, its eyes assume a 

 fixed vacant and wild stare, which is followed by com- 

 plete delirium ; it becomes furious and dashes about in a 

 violent manner from side to side, being quite unconscious 

 of its actions. The mad staggers are considerably alike 

 in their symptoms to rabies or common madness, and 

 also to colic. In the former of these maladies the horse 

 retains it consciousness, and the violence of its actions 

 will depend upon the peculiar character of its madness. 

 In some instances a desire to be mischievous is mani- 

 fested; in colic the horse rises and falls, although not in 

 a violent manner. Sometimes, however, it plunges, but 

 in most cases it rolls itself about, and frequently looks 

 towards its flanks with an evident expression of suffering 

 from pain. The treatment o{ this disease is at all times 



