70 MEGRIMS — APOPLEXY. 



The mildest afTection of this kind is known as Megnms 

 When the horse is driven rather quickly, he will, without any 

 premonitory symptoms, suddenly stop, shake his head, and exhibit 

 evident giddiness and half-unconsciousness. This will soon pass 

 over, and he will go on as if nothing had happened. 



When the attack is more serious, he will fall without the 

 slightest warning, or suddenly run round once or twice and then 

 fall. He will lie insensible, or struggle with the utmost vio- 

 lence. In five or ten minutes he will begin gradually to come 

 to himself; he will get up and proceed on his journey, yet some- 

 what dull, and evidently affected and exhausted by what had 

 happened, although not seriously or permanently ill. 



At the moment of attack, three or four quarts of blood should 

 be taken from the neck- vein, or the bars of the palate should bo 

 cut, in the manner hereafter described. The driver should treat 

 him soothingly, loosen the curb-rein, ease the collar if practicable 

 and drive slowly the rest of his journey. When he gets home, a 

 dose of physic should be administered if the horse can be spared, 

 the quantity of dry food lessened, and mashes given or green food, 

 or he should have a run at grass. A predisposition to a second 

 attack almost always remains, and it is a long time before the 

 blood-vessels recover their former tone. Experience has shown 

 that a horse that has had a second attack of the megrims is 

 never to be trusted.^ 



APOPLEXY. 



Megrims is Apoplexy under its mildest form. In the latter 

 affection, the determination of blood, if not so sudden, is greater, 

 or differently directed, or more lasting. It is seldom, however, 

 that there are not timely warnings of its approach, if the carter 

 or the groom had wit enough to observe them. The horse is a 

 little off his feed — he is more than usually dull — there is a 



* Note hy Mr. Spooner. — Mi*. Spooner speaks of a species of the disease 

 the symptoms of which border on epilepsy, and appear to arise from dis- 

 ordered functions of the brain. He says : — 



We have known some horses more liable to this disease in very cold 

 frosty weather; in such instances the symptoms have been those of giddi- 

 ness, without the severity of ordinary megrims ; the animal has reeled, 

 however, like a drunken man, and been extremely dangerous both to ride 

 and drive. We have known an old horse thus continue almost useless 

 tliroughout the winter, and gradually shake off the disease as warm weather 

 came on. Now, it must be evident that the exciting causes ^ such instances 

 must be altogether different from that of ordinary megrims ; and, whilst 

 the bleeding and purging are very proper, as recommended in the text 

 for ordinary megrims, arising from plethora, it is not to be advised for that 

 variety of disease to which we have called attention, and which is rather 

 to b J beuefited bv warmth, good groomhig, and tonic mediciua 



