422 EPILEPSY. 



the facial and cervical region, when, after having been laid on 

 the ground for only a few seconds, the animal starts to its feet 

 and moves on as if nothing had happened. 



More generally, however, the unconsciousness is prolonged, 

 and the convulsive movements are severe, and, as we are apt to 

 forget the insensibility to pain, distressing to look upon. 



The head is moved rapidly backwards and forwards, the 

 jaws undergoing a lateral movement, so as to produce grinding 

 of the teeth ; or they may, in the act of champing, abrade and 

 wound the tongue or lips, around which frothy saliva contiues 

 to collect. The eyelids are either open to their full extent or 

 partly closed, with the eyeballs distorted and the membrane 

 injected. The limbs are tossed wildly about, while the muscles 

 of the trunk, acting in concert with those of the cervical 

 region, occasionally produce that bending of the body in a back- 

 ward direction characteristic of opisthotonos. The muscles of 

 respiration, acted upon in a similar manner, result in inducing 

 stertorous breathing, or such a fixed condition of the walls of 

 the chest that respiration seems for a time suspended. 



The heart's action is tumultuous, with a pulse extremely 

 variable in character, and at times intermitting, while occa- 

 sionally both faices and urine are voided involuntarily. 



Having reached a crisis, the muscular rigidity becomes 

 relaxed, consciousness is in a measure restored, and the animal 

 regains its feet, exhibiting, however, much depression, or main- 

 taining for some time a stupid semi-comatose appearance, 

 which, in the more severe cases resulting in a fatal termination, 

 is but imperfectly recovered from ere the animal is plunged 

 into another paroxysm. 



Treatment. — This resolves itself into the double condition of 

 (1) immediate, and (2) prospective. 



1. The Immediate Treatment or means to be employed 

 during the seizures are all such as are calculated to shorten 

 their continuance or mitigate their severity. Of these the 

 most important are to give the animal every opportunity to 

 benefit by a free and uninterrupted circulation of fresh air, by 

 the removal of all obstructing objects, either upon or imme- 

 diately surrounding it. Cold water may be freely dashed over 

 the head, and such precautions as seem needful employed to 

 prevent the creature doing itself harm. 



