Prognosis. Treatment. Liglitninu-slroke. 627 



Apart from any discoverable lesions of the cranium the 

 localization of the disease must be based upon the local symp- 

 toms shown. 



Prognosis. In the majoritj^ of cases concussion of the brain 

 terminates fatally either directly or as a result of complications. 

 Nevertheless cases of recovery are not absolutely rare in both 

 large and small animals. Needless to say, recovery only takes 

 place in those cases in which there is no extensive destruction 

 of brain tissue and no great amount of hemorrhage. The course 

 taken by the disease affords information on this point. Pa- 

 tients which to commence with have shown serious symptoms 

 may survive, but, as a rule, their value is more or less dimin- 

 ished, owing to permanent effects. It sometimes happens in 

 cases of fracture of the base of the cranium that the condition 

 of the patient shows a rapid and striking improvement, but 

 afterwards there is a sudden turn for the worse and the case 

 terminates fatally. 



Treatment. Complete rest is essential to avoid further 

 hemorrhage, and in animals that are down, the head must be 

 raised. Later, when it is thought that the blood has formed a 

 firm clot in the injured vessels, stimulants, such as ether and 

 camphor, may be given and the animal restored to conscious- 

 ness by cold applications to the head. Large animals should 

 have plenty of straw under them and they should l)e turned over 

 from time to time, and if possible placed in slings so as to avoid 

 bedsores. In cases in wdiich the animals remain comatose for 

 a long time nourishment must be administered (see page 123) 

 and the injury to the cranium must be treated surgically. 



In view of the doubtful termination of the disease aninials 

 that are used for food should be slaughtered as soon as possible 

 if there is not complete recovery in a short time. 



Literature. Bissauge & Naiidiii, Eev. Gen., 1905, VI, 212.— Chauier, Eec, 

 1907, 297.— Dexler, Nervenkrkh. d. Pferdes, 1899, 161, 1G4 (Lit.).— Eieke, Pr. Vb., 

 1906, I, 33.— Hoffmann, Z. f. Vk., 1909, 37.— Joyeux, Eev. Vet., 1906, 525.— Nocard, 

 A. d'Alf., 1882, 681. 



7. Lightning-stroke. 



Occurrence. Animals — cattle, sheep and horses — running 

 in the open, are liable to be struck by lightning. Powerful elec- 

 tric shocks act in a manner resembling lightning. Horses are 

 sometimes injured in this way in large towns. 



Pathogenesis. It is the nervous tissues that suffer prin- 

 cipally and there may be pronounced disturbance of function 

 without any obvious injury to the nervous tissues. According 

 to Niedmer these disturbances are to some extent caused by 

 heating of the cerebrospinal fluid. 



