SYMPTOMS. 419 



cated are mucli similar, viz., tlie removal of all causes likely to 

 induce sj^stemic disturbance or irritation ; the controlling and 

 directing of any constitutional cachexy which may seem con- 

 nected with the animal ; the strict enforcement of correct 

 dietetic and sanitary conditions; a careful apportioning of 

 work, together with the use of some tonic medicinal agent. 

 Of the latter there does not seem to he anyone in particular 

 possessed of specific action in every case, which most probably 

 is the reason why a rather considerable number of agents have 

 each individually been so highly recommended by different 

 practitioners and experimenters. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



EPILEPSY — FITS. 



Definition. — A comijlex. diseased condition of the nervous 

 system, evidencing itself in sudden and generally total uncon- 

 sciousness, accompanied with tonic, and, later, clonic con- 

 vidsions. These Jits or paroxysms, besides being sudden in 

 their occurrence, are lihetvise of variable intensity and uncer- 

 tain periods of duration and recurrence. 



Nature and Causation. — This disease, difficult to define, 

 and in its nature as yet imperfectly understood, is encountered 

 in all our patients, less frequently in the horse than some other 

 animals. 



It is only through a considerable laxity in the use of terms 

 that the complex and convulsive phenomena, which constitute 

 nearly all that we know of this condition, come, in their various 

 forms of manifestation, to be grouped together and regarded 

 as a distinct disease, seeing that these are met with under 

 varying and very different states of organs and tissues. Of 

 these the most commonly observed are : 1. Organic disease of 

 the cerebral structures, as inflammatory action in cerebral 

 matter and membranes, adventitious growths, various tissue 

 and other changes. 2. Lesions of the cranial bones, which tend 

 to produce irritation of the contained structures. 3. Changes in 

 the blood itself or the blood-conduits within the cranium, by 

 which the proper nutrition of the cerebral structures is inter- 

 fered with. 4. Reflected or propagated irritation from other 



27—2 



