Treatment. Obstruction of the Vessels of the Brain. 631 



hemorrliage venesection should be practiced and a stimulant 

 given (ether or camphor subcutaneously). Cold compresses to 

 the head are indicated. After the disappearance of severe 

 symptoms suitable nourishment that is not too rich may be 

 given, followed by a mild purgative. It is advisable to slaughter 

 animals suitable for food at once if dangerous symptoms are 

 present. 



Attempts may be made to cure any paralysis that may be 

 left by systematic passive movements of the affected limb, by 

 massage, and by the application of electrical currents. The 

 sj'stematic administration of potassium iodide is believed to as- 

 sist in the rapid absorption of the extravasated blood. 



Literature. Dernbaeh, Z. f. Vk., 1907, 174.— Dexler, Nervenkrkh. d. Pferdes, 

 1889, 192 (Lit.).— Eve, Vet. Eec, 1905, 574.— Holterbach, D. t. W., 1909, 288.— 

 Leblanc, J. Vet., 1903, 595. 



Obstruction of the Vessels of the Brain. 



{Encephalomalacia.) 



Plugging of the vessels of the brain may be due either to throm- 

 bosis or embolism. In cases of embolism there must be some defect in 

 the left half of the heart, or thrombosis of the anterior aorta or car- 

 otid. Although such lesions are common in the heart, and especially 

 in dogs, there are scarcely any references in literature to the suliject 

 under consideration. It is quite likely that in the future more exact 

 clinical observations and more frequent examinations of brains at the 

 postmortem, may show that the disease is more common. This was an 

 obvious cause of the softening of the brain in a number of the cases 

 recorded. Bouley and Johne found em])olism of the cerebral arteries 

 as a result of throml)Osis of the carotid in one case ; and Vosshage re- 

 cords a case of thrombosis of the posterior cerebellar artery in a horse. 



In one case there was thrombosis of the great cerebral vein, and in a 

 few cases thrombosis of the venous sinuses of the brain. Tn a case re- 

 corded by Boelmann. there was thromliosis of tlie great cerebral vein, re- 

 sulting from a cellulitis of a fore foot that had Wen in existence for four 

 weeks. There was softening of the Avhite matter and the lesion was 

 confined to the left hemisphere. In a case recorded by Berlin, there 

 was thrombosis of the venous sinuses due to gangrene of the lungs in a 

 horse ; while IMoussu records one in a coav in which the cause was an 

 abscess of the esophagus. Kitt also records a case of thrombosis of the 

 sinuses in a horse. 



Huyuen found extensive calcification of the smallest and medium-sized arteries 

 of the meml>ranes in a 10-months-old calf, the vessels of the superficial layers of 

 the cortex being similarly affected around some hemorrhages in the brain sub- 

 stance. 



Plugging of the vessels of the brain is followed by degeneration 

 of the nerve elements and neuroglia cells, the ])rain substance being thus 

 converted into a pulp-like mass (softening of the brain). 



It is at present impossible to give a general survey of the 



