DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 905 



may follow castration. The case may be mild or severe; the mild one will 

 recover by the system outliving the poison, and the severe one will prcve 

 fatal by the muscular cramps interfering with circulation of the blood and 

 respiration 



How to know it. ^The disease is insidious in its operations, until the 



danc^erous stage comes on. The animal may be dull, off its feed, and 

 generally disinclined to move. Then the whole body may l^ecome affected, 

 with the hind legs wide apart, the nose protruding, head and tail elevated, 

 breathing quickened, and the pulse frequent and corded. The bowels are 

 strongly bound. Sometimes the back is depressed downward, and some- 

 times^rched up; and sometimes the spasm , throws the head to one side. 

 There are different technical names for the several manifestations. 



What to do.— Little can be done, except to remove all irritating objects, 

 give calming medicines, and operate on the bowels as soon as possible. 

 The nervous excitement will be lessened by keeping the patient in a dark 

 place. Search for the wound, clip off the hair, enlarge the wound by slit- 

 ting it up with a knife, then wash it with warm water and soap, and bathe 

 and inject it with recipe No. 9; bind on a pack of oakum wet with this 

 lotion. Dress it two or three times a day. Give plenty of linseed gruel 

 to drink. 



VI. Rabies or Hydrophobia. 



It seems needless to repeat the general statements respecting this disease 

 given in Part II of this work, pages 452 and 453. It is, of course, incur- 

 able, and from its exceedingly dangerous nature, the suspected animal 

 should be immediately confined, and killed as soon as ever the symptoms 

 become pronounced. 



VII. Nervous Debility at Parturition. 



This disease must not be mistaken for parturient apoplexy or peritonitis. 

 It is readily distinguished from these by the total absence of any tendency 

 to either high fever or lethargy. It is not confined to animals in high 

 condition, but is found quite as often among those that are lean. 



How to know it.— The pulse may be somewhat fast, but will be com- 

 pressi])le and often weak. The udder remains soft, and the milk is plenti- 

 ful and easily drawn; and though there may be constipation, the appetite 

 will be good. 



What to do.— Keep the animal warm and in good quarters, with plenty 

 of bedding. Evacuate the bowels by warm injections, at the same time 

 giving a mild purgative No. 8. Give stimulants, sloppy but nutritious 

 food,\ay tea, etc., and remove the milk frequently from the udder. 



