24 Veterhiary Medicine. 



form or unwonted situations strikes terror to the timid animal, 

 causing shying or bolting. Better absolute blindness than such 

 imperfect vision. 



A constitutional timidity tends constantly to increase unless the 

 animal is judiciousl}' accustomed to the object of terror. The 

 hor.se once scared, seems to become more and more watchful for 

 other objects of dread, and even inclined to bolt from such as are 

 common and of every day occurrence. 



Cattle and sheep attacked by the gadfly (oestrus) flee in great 

 terror, and this dread is communicated from animal to animal so 

 that the whole herd or flock is suddenly panic-stricken. The bel- 

 low of the ox attacked and the erection of its tail is the signal for 

 every other within reach to join the stampede. 



These panics are associated with the in.stinct of these races to- 

 ward a gregarious life ; the}' mass together for protection and 

 they learn to heed the slightest indication of approaching danger. 

 This instinct grows more powerful by constant exerci.se, and is 

 most marked in those genera which have the least natural means 

 of protection. Hence, of all animals sheep are most easily panic- 

 stricken, and once affected, they move in mass, one following its 

 fellow, without object, without definite direction or destination, 

 and without consideration of the other dangers they are to meet. 

 Hence, if one sheep jumps over the parapet of a bridge to certain 

 destruction, the whole flock speedih' follows. If one leaps over a 

 fallen tree into a snow bank, all at once follow suit and pile above 

 each other in one suffocating, perishing mass. 



While this condition is hereditary in gregarious families, it is 

 essentially a psychosis in those animals that have been often 

 .scared until they are continually on the watch for objects of fear. 



Treatment. In the case of horses, the best course is to make 

 the animal familiar with the object of dread ; let him look at it, 

 approach it slowly, smell it, feel it with his lips. Never turn 

 away his eyes from it and drive him off, as that confirms the im- 

 pression of dread, and the object retains ever after its dreaded 

 appearance. In this way timid colts become gradually fearless of 

 umbrellas, city sights, street cars, large vans, flags, music, loco- 

 motives and the like, — they become, in the expressive language of 

 the horseman, road-zvise. A paddock or yard beside a railroad 

 will soon accustom a timid horse to the cars, and so with other 

 things, experience will remove apprehension. 



