THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 43 



of two kinds, the Stomach Staggers, or that which 

 chiefly arises from acute indigestion, and the Mad 

 Stagger's, which is a species of inflammation of the 

 brain, or brain-fever ; but the symptoms of the one 

 are so similar to those of the other, that they can 

 scarcely be distinguished, especially at the commence- 

 ment of the disease. 



The Causes to which they are attributable aie — over- 

 feeding — the practice of keeping a horse too long 

 without his food, when, as soon as he gets it, he swal- 

 lows it faster than he can digest it, more especially 

 when it consists of pollard, bran, chaff, &c. — the bram 

 occasionally sympathises with the stomach when in a 

 state of distention through excessive gorging — allow- 

 ing no water to moisten dry food — every thing that 

 tends to terminate blood to the head, as excessive ex- 

 ercise, exposure to an oppressive mid-day summer sun. 

 The draught-horse has been made subject to it from 

 the long and frequent use of a tight collar. Suddenly 

 changing the diet of horses which has been dry and 

 poor to that which is rich and luxurious ; lastly, any 

 thing producing fever may be the means of bringing 

 on the Mad Staggers. 



Symptoms. — The mouth is hot and dry, and the 

 eyes languid and drowsy ; the head is dull, and hung 

 listlessly down : these are generally the first symptoms 

 of the disease. As it progresses, the pulse becomes 

 irregular, the head is pressed against the wall with 

 great force, the flanks begin to heave, and after rolling 

 from side to side he will fall down, often sweating with 

 the intensity of the pain he suffers. 



Treatment. — Bleeding copiously in all cases pf Stag- 



