OF FARRIERY. 



211 



C H A P T E R XXI. 



ON INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN, OR MAD STAGGERS; INFLAM- 

 MATION OF THE STOMACH, OR STOMACH STAGGERS; INFLAM- 

 MATION OF THE LUNGS, PULMONARY CONSUMPTION. 



ON INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN, 

 OR MAD STAGGERS. 



Mad staggers is one of those diseases 

 which affect the Horse but seldom, and very 

 fortunate for the poor animal that it does not ; 

 for the pain arising from it must be dread- 

 ful. This disease, like many others, has 

 acquired a variety of names, and constituting- 

 a variety of different diseases in former prac- 

 tice, though by nice attention in modern 

 improvement, been nearly reduced to the two 

 heads I intend to give my opinion of; that is. 

 such disorders as principally affect the head, 

 having their seat in the brain, or vessels lead- 

 ing thereto. In this description are included 

 those that have been formerly distinguished 

 under separate heads, of the old farrier ; such 

 as apoplexy, convulsions, epilepsy, stag-evil, 

 phrenzy, or fever, &c., &c. ; but as such dis- 

 tinctions, for one and the same disease, have 

 been, and to this day in many counties yet 

 prevail, I cannot help thinking the terms must 

 be purely local, and for wrant of well educated 

 veterinarians to lighten the darkness, and 

 remove the gloom that has overspread the 

 greatest part of this country, by the knights of 

 the leather apron. 

 Mad staggers, or inflammation of the brain. 



may then be defined to be a determination of 

 blood to the brain, occasioning considerable 

 pressure on that organ, and also of the vessels 

 leading to the brain. How far the pretended 

 accuracy, formerly distinguishing one of these 

 diseases from another, may be reconciled to 

 modern comprehension, or generally credited, 

 1 know not ; but confess, where the whole 

 formation of judgment and decision is to rest 

 upon the penetration of the observer only, and 

 no information come from the patient, circum- 

 stances could, or can but very seldom combine 

 to form so singular a distinction. Experience 

 and observation may undoubtedly do much, 

 in a collection of similitudes and probabilities, 

 but never enou2:h to ascertain the distinct, 

 invariable causes and effects of diseases, where 

 the most trifling difference is hardly acknow- 

 ledged ; more particularly when it is recon- 

 sidered that the cause of all these disorders 

 is in the original seat of nervous irritability, 

 the brain ; or in those parts connected with, 

 or dependent upon, its structure and pur 

 poses ; except when they are understood to 

 be symptomatic, or dependent upon some 

 original remote cause ; as the effect of bots, 

 preying upon the stomach, or intestines ; inter- 

 nal ulcerations, or complaints not immediately 

 discoverable. These may sometimes happen. 



