r!02 



TIIE MODERN SYSTEM 



CHAPTER XX. 



ON EPILEPSY, PARALYSIS, SPASM, SPASMODIC COLIC OR GRIPES, 

 LOCKED JAW, AND STRING HALT. 



EPILEPSY. 



The affection termed epilepsy, frequently 

 affects cart and waggon Horses more than 

 any other kind ; and in different counties and 

 localities, it takes on a variety of names; such 

 as meagrims, sturdy, turnsick, the falling- 

 sickness, the falling-evil, &c. The affection, 

 in its first attack, comes on suddenly, and 

 without giving any previous notice. The 

 animal, if in exercise, stops short, shakes his 

 head, and looks wandering ; in which state 

 he continues a short time, and then will go on 

 as before. If the case should be a violent 

 one, the Horse frequently falls to the ground, 

 or commences turning round and round, until 

 he falls, apparently senseless. 



The whole system appears agitated by 

 strong convulsions ; he dungs and stales in- 

 sensibly ; at times becoming exceedingly vio- 

 lent ; at others, almost as if life was extinct, but 

 nppears unconscious to every thing around 

 him ; his eyes appear fixed, and often his 

 jaws are so closely set, that his mouth cannot 

 be forced open. At another time he labours 

 under convulsive motions, and his limbs shake 

 W:, violently, that he even breaks the pavement 

 with his feet, if the fall should lie in such, a 



situation. Sometimes, while the legs are stiff, 

 the head and body are violently agitated. 

 These varieties of symptoms frequently attack- 

 ing the Horse alternately, it is not to be won- 

 dered at that the affection should remain on 

 him in some instances, two or three hours, 

 (more or less,) and then recover, sometimes 

 without any return ; at others, the fits are 

 more or less troublesome, according to the 

 success of the means applied for relief As 

 the fit goes off, there is generally a foaming of 

 the mouth ; the foam being white, and re- 

 sembling that of a healthy Horse. The 

 causes of epilepsy are several ; it appears to 

 be dependent on a kind of spasmodic affection 

 of the brain, either from too tight reining up, or 

 the collar pressing too tight. It may also arise 

 from blood being forced on the head by consti- 

 tutional disorders. Worms, I have no doubt to 

 be a cause of it. Horses of very full habit, ple- 

 thoric, or over-fed Horses, are liable to it, par- 

 ticularly when not having constant exercise. 



For the curative means for epilepsy, nothing 

 can be done while the Horse is enduring the 

 fit but the following, which will be found ex- 

 cellent : — 



Take Strong liquor of ammonia - 1 ot 



