348 ACUTE CEREBRAL INFLAMMATIONS. 



ness in development of symptoms, local congestion, excitement 

 with muscular spasms or convulsions, succeeded by subsidence 

 or arrest of normal nervous activity. 



Invasion of the true cerebral structure, on the other hand, 

 is less active in development of symptoms, is marked by no 

 frenzy or excitement, but from the first exhibits lowered or 

 depressed functional activity, impairment at the outset of some 

 special nerve function. 



The marked excitement and uncontrollable fury so often 

 spolvcn of as characteristic of cerebral inflammations I have 

 rarely or never encountered ; and where exaltation of cerebral 

 function showed itself, it was only for a short time, to be suc- 

 ceeded by an opposite state, a lowering of these below the 

 normal standard. 



No doubt inflammatory action, when showing itself in con- 

 nection with the encephalic structures, is much modified by 

 the nature of the tissue in which it originates, as well as by 

 the extent of textures invaded. 



In the early stages of inflammation of the cerebral struc- 

 tures in all animals during which there is much vascular 

 derangement, and particularly when the meninges seem more . 

 largely the seat of this morbid action, there is a great likeli- 

 hood to be excitement, delirium, or convulsions, the severity of 

 these determined by the extent of tissue invaded. This hyper- 

 activity of cerebral function is not constant or continuous, but 

 paroxysmal in character, liable to be brought on or seriously 

 augmented by any untoward noise or disturbance to which the 

 animal may be subjected. The constitutional fever is well 

 marked, the temperature raised, skin and mouth perceptibly 

 hotter than natural ; there seems pain in the head, which the 

 animal cannot bear to have roughly handled ; the eyes are 

 staring and bloodshot, with pupils contracted ; the pulse 

 frequent and hard or sharp ; respirations irregular, and some- 

 times accompanied with a moan ; bowels confined. The 

 animal is restless and uneasy, moving from side to side or 

 around his box, the body sometimes damp from perspiration. 

 Occasionally muscular twitchings and general or local hyper- 

 ajsthesia are symptoms well marked. 



Succeeding this stage of increased nervous irritability and 

 vascular excitement, which is generally short-lived, is that of 



