Anatoniiral Changes. Symptoms. 769 



presence of pentastonies in the nasal cavities. Chronic uremia 

 may likewise produce epileptoid attacks. Much less frequently 

 the irritation which produces the convulsion originates in 

 wounds of the mucous membrane (sharp teeth!) or in painful 

 wounds or cicatrices of the skin; in very exceptional cases the 

 irritation of a perfectly healthy part of the body was found to 

 produce convulsions (Gerlach, Sclirader, Dorrwachter). In most 

 cases, however, injuries of the withers, fractures of the horns, 

 or in the dog injuries of the sole of the foot are responsible for 

 attacks of reflex epilepsy. 



Brown-Sequard produced reflex epilepsy in a guinea pig artificially by injuries 

 to the n. ischiadicus, and the disease was claimed to be transmitted to the progeny, 

 yet later authors (Sommer, Karplus) could not prove this in a single case. 



Anatomical Changes. In true epilepsy no morbid changes 

 can, as a rule, be shown on postmortem, either in the brain or 

 its immediate neighborhood; nor does microscopic examination 

 usually give any results, although it is probable that the nerve 

 cells of the cortex or other elements of the brain are diseased ; 

 but the minute changes cannot be demonstrated by the available 

 methods of investigation. 



Since Siedamgrotzky noticed the illness in a dog with asymmetry of the skull, 

 and Bassi the same thing in 9 out of 15 epileptic horses, since further Fabretti found 

 the same condition in a cow and two dogs, this condition must in the future be looked 

 for at autopsies. 



Symptoms. In man certain prodromal symptoms precede 

 the epileptic attack, which since the days of Galen have been 

 known by the name of "aura epileptica" and these occur some- 

 times also in animals. Thus many horses appear sluggish be- 

 fore an attack, pay no attention to the word of command or 

 become excited at it ; others commence nodding and shaking the 

 head or attempt to scratch it with the hind feet. Swine go about 

 restlessly, root up the ground with the snout and grunt un- 

 easily. Dogs are sometimes depressed, they run restlessly to 

 and fro, toss the head and bite the nearest object. In the great 

 majority of cases such preliminary symptoms are, however, 

 wanting or escape notice. 



The severe epileptic attack (grand mal) declares itself in 

 the great majority of cases in the following symptoms : The 

 animal suddenly exhibits great anxiety, stands with a fixed 

 look and wide open pupils as if nailed to the ground, soon be- 

 gins to tremble, breathes deeply with maximal opening of the 

 nostrils, reels to and fro, seeks for a time to preserve the equili- 

 brium by straddling out the limbs or by stepping forwards or 

 backwards, but soon falls unconscious to the ground. Cattle at 

 first often emit a peculiar hollow bellowing, dogs utter a loud 

 shriek, whilst sheep make circular movements; dogs get up 

 sometimes after collapsing, make a few reeling steps, but soon 

 break down again. 



Vol. 2^9 



