Chronic Hydrocephalus. Dropsy of the Ventricles. 117 



Diagnosis. The veterinarian called to act as expert in such 

 cases must examine the suspected animal along the different lines 

 in which the cerebral aberration is manifested in the disease. He 

 will see the animal standing quietly in the stall apart from all 

 sources of excitement. See if there is a defect in the breadth of 

 the cranium, or a deflection backward of this region from the 

 straight line of the front of the face, together with a heavy clumsy 

 head. Is the head pendent, resting on the manger, with dull eye, 

 drooping lids, lack of expression, loose hanging lower lip? Does 

 he hold morsels unchewed projecting from the mouth or over the 

 tongue, or in the cheek? Does he plunge both mouth and nose 

 in the water to drink, and masticate meanwhile ? Are his legs 

 found crossed or in abnormal positions, and if put in such posi- 

 tions, does he fail to rectif}' them at once ? Is the head left in an 

 abnormal flexed, depressed or lateral position if placed in it? 

 Does the subject find it difficult or impossible to back? Does he 

 pay the customary attention to the going or coming of other 

 horses, to feeding, etc. ? 



If no distinct symptoms are found he should then be examined 

 under other conditions. In taking out of the stable how does he 

 turn in the stall or back out of it, and in what way does he 

 approach the door, clumsily or with difficulty? When moved in 

 a circle, does he swa}' or stagger ? Can he back when mounted 

 or attached to a heav}' carriage? Can he execute all these move- 

 ments satisfactorily after the respiration and circulation have been 

 excited by walking, trotting or galloping in hand or otherwise ? 

 In case of difficulty in backing, in the absence of the other diag- 

 nostic symptoms, he must see that this does not arise from other 

 causes. Some untrained horses have not been taught to back and 

 cannot be made t(j do so at once. Some refuse to back from in- 

 docility or stubbornness, but can perform the act if induced in 

 other ways, as in having a narrow stall. sSometimes a sore mouth, 

 from a hard bit may make a horse nervous and obstinate so that 

 he will .seek to escape in any other way rather than by backing 

 under steady pressure of the bit. Sometimes he will back all 

 right under a halter. In all such cases of simple obstinacy or 

 fear of pain, the ab.sence of the other symptoms is strongly sug- 

 gestive. If the horse has a well developed cranium, a full bright, 

 alert eye, firmness of lips, intelligent expression, readiness to 



