EPILEPSY, OR FITS. 17 



considerable caution ; as the rigidity of the muscles occasion 

 much pain to the horse if the head be elevated. If it is 

 given in a liquid state, a long slender bent tube should be 

 used ; it must be considerably curved downwards near the 

 point, then an almost straight portion, equal to the length of 

 the animal's mouth from the gullet to the internal termina- 

 tion of the cutting teeth, and from this it should be suddenly 

 turned up in nearly a perpendicular direction, for a foot in 

 length at least, terminating in a funnel-shaped mouth. The 

 perpendicular pressure of the atmosphere will force the liquid 

 down the animal's throat. If the medicine is given in the 

 form of balls, then it should be cut in small portions and 

 stuck on the point of a very thin piece of whalebone, and 

 in this way put down the throat. 



In tetanus, the digestive functions are not affected, and 

 the poor animals suffer much from hunger. To keep up the 

 system as far as possible, strong gruel should be given by 

 the aid of the tube above described. See pi. XV. fig. 1. 



If, by any of the modes of treatment recommended the 

 rfpasms are removed, the horse should be fed upon warm 

 mashes of bran and oatmeal for some days ; and should the 

 weather be mild he may be turned out in a field for a few 

 hours in the middle of the day. 



EPILEPSY, OR FITS. 



Symptoms. — The epileptic fits in horses are, as in the 

 human being, very sudden, of which no premonition is given. 

 The horse suddenly stops, is seized with considerable trem- 

 bling, looks around him with a vacant stare, and then sud- 

 denly falls. This is followed with convulsive struggles of a 

 greater or lesser degree. The head and neck are consider- 

 ably contorted. The convulsions seldom last more than a 

 f ?w minutes ; he ceases to struggle, and on the recovery of 



