Symptoms. yj^ 



haiistioii or mnscnlar weakness. Holterbach noticed epileptic 

 attacks m a cat which only occurred at night time (E. noctnrna). 

 The attack may be of different degrees of severity and of 

 varying duration. After collapse in horses there may he mere- 

 ly stiffness, lasting for a few seconds and during wliich all the 

 vegetative functions appear to be extinguished, but soon evacu- 

 ation of dung and urine occur and the attack comes to a conclu- 

 sion. Certain symptoms may be absent, such as the increased 

 secretion of saliva and the champing of the saliva into foam, and 

 further involuntary voidance of dung and urine. Generallv the 

 muscles of both halves of the body Avill be attacked equally, but 

 many a time the spasms are much more severe on one side of 

 the l3ody than the other. Horses, dogs and swine seem to have 

 much more intense convulsions than cattle and sheep. 

 ^ The sequence of the symptoms also does not always follow 

 m the order descrilied as above, inasmuch as the spasms some- 

 times begin at an extremity such as the toe, and then gradually 

 attack the remaining parts of the bodv, extending finally to 

 the head. 



In birds the symptoms are in a great measure as follows • The bird 

 emits sharp sounds, makes flapping movements with the wings falls on 

 Its side or back, moves its feet quickly, rolls its eves, bends 'the neck 

 rouiid to one side, alternately opens and shuts the beak and throws its 

 whole body to and fro. After 1 to 2 minutes the spasms cease, whereupon 

 the bird lies for a long time as though in a stupor and without sensation • 

 atterwards it stands up, but still staggers about and supports itself with 

 Its beak and outstretched ^vings until it finally stands on its feet or with 

 regular flapping of the wings flies away (Trasbot) . 



The slight epileptic attack (E. minor, petit mal) is a rudi- 

 ment of the epileptic seizure proper (Weygandt) and declares 

 itselt 111 various disturbances of consciousness while the svmp- 

 toms of motor excitation occur at circumscribed areas for a short 

 time only or are absent altogether. There are also records of 

 similar conditions associated with local spasms, in which the 

 animals^ did not break down when they could lean against a 

 supporting object. It is, however, verV difficult to recognize, 

 and distinguish between such cases of secondary attacks of ver- 

 tigo and convulsions in animals. 



Of the psychic abnormalities noticed in human patients suffering from epilepsy 

 and occurring also in the intervals between the attacks, one sees nothing in animals 

 In dogs intelligence and attentiveness have suffered according to nTany authors 



affo Jf V /°^ Tn* n'* ']^^^ "°* ^PI'^^'" ^^'^t^^" th=^t these were secondary epileptic 

 attacks, but more likely due to encephalitis following distemper. " 



Secondary epilepsy or the epileptoid attack agrees in its 

 external form with true epilepsy, only the svmptoms may usual- 

 ly be ascertained as due to organic disease of the brain or to 

 other diseased condition. 



Secondary epilepsy occurs at times as socalled Jackson's 



