Etiology. Catalepsy. 791 



24 hours paralysis of the vasomotors sets in, and high temperature 

 results in the neighliorhood from the dilation of the vessels and the in- 

 creased muscular action. 



The autopsy reveals no characteristic lesions. The rumen contains 

 very little food or is empty (Voigtlander). The muscles of the loins may 

 be edematously infiltrated (Estor) or they, as well as the muscular tissue, 

 of the" body in general may be colored broMaiish red or bro^^^lish black, 

 whilst fatty infiltration of the parenchymatous organs may be noted 

 (Noack). The chemical reaction of the muscles of slaughtered animals 

 is, according to Estor, always alkaline. 



The symptoms of the illness usually arise at the end of a transport, 

 but often earlier, that is during the journey. The animals exhibit con- 

 siderable unrest in look and movement, the gait being stumbling and 

 staggering and the tail extended. Shortly after this the hind parts col- 

 lapse, although for a short time the animal makes efforts to stand up. Soon 

 it remainslying do^\Ti with its hind extremities drawn up, but frequently 

 changing its position. The mucous membranes appear considerably in- 

 jected, the pulse is quickened, its number goes up to 120 beats a minute. 

 The body temperature varies between 38.8 and 39.4° C. The breathing is 

 always quickened (up to 40 respirations per minute) labored, and later 

 stertorous. Peristalsis and appetite are in abeyance, whilst the feeling of 

 thirst may sometimes be increased ; voidance of dung is lessened or com- 

 pletely at a standstill. Frequently violent labor pains occur which are 

 not depending on parturition. Estor found in many cases an amount 

 of 1 per thousand of albumin in the urine. The udder is filled but 

 soft and contains a considerable quantity of normal milk. Consciousness 

 seems at first undisturbed, but later it becomes upset more and more ; the 

 animal turns its head on its side, closes its eyes, becomes indifferent to all 

 irritation, and in this condition presents a picture like that of milk fever. 

 Ninety per cent of the cases end unfavorably in 1 to 2 days with aggra- 

 vation of the paralytic symptoms and dyspnea so that the animals usual- 

 ly have to be slaughtered or die. With suitable treatment (Schmidt) the 

 patients recover almost without exception. 



The treatment is similar to that in milk fever. Schmidt has ob- 

 tained cures in almost all cases by the insufflation of air into the udder. 



Literature. Estor, D. t. W., 1S99, 233.— Hartenstein, S. B., 1893, 126.— Eoder, 

 ibid., 1892, 101.— Schmidt, B. t. W., 1906, 775 (Lit.).— Voigtlander, S. B., 1878, 88. 



6. Catalepsy. Catalepsia. 



By catalepsy a peculiar state of illness is meant in which the 

 animal is incapable of performing voluntary movements for a certain 

 time, because in conse(iuence of stiffening of the muscles, certain limbs 

 remain for a long time in a given position, which may, however, be 

 changed passively at will. This symptom, which is rare in man, and 

 which when occurring is often a symptom of hysteria or a result of certain 

 psychoses and organic diseases of the brain, has been noticed in isolated 

 cases in animals. It appears from the records, however, that the symptom 

 did not originate as a distinct neurosis, but merely as the resulting con- 

 dition of organic diseases of the nervous system (compression of the 

 spinal marrow, inflammation of the coverings of the cord, diseases of the 

 brain), or of severe intestinal disorders. In consequence one is not 

 justified in ascribing these cases to a catalepsy in the strict sense of the 



