MEGRIMS 573 



attacks occur, and it appears liiglily probable that the direct rays of the 

 sun playing on the head have something to do with it. Death seldom 

 takes place during the first attack, but sometimes after two or three repe- 

 titions the convulsions go on increasing, and the foal becomes comatose 

 and dies. A mild dose of linseed or castor oil is the onl}^ remedy which 

 can safely be resorted to, and as it is supposed that worms will sometimes 

 produce these convulsive attacks, it is on that account to be selected. 

 Epilepsy is so very rarely met with in the adult, and of its causes and 

 treatment so little is known, that I shall not trouble my readers with any 

 account of them. 



MEGRIMS 



This term is used to conceal our ignorance of the exact nature of several 

 disordered conditions of the brain and heart. In fact, any kind of fit, 

 not attended with convulsions, and only lasting a short time, is called by 

 this name. 



The most usual symptoms are the following : — The horse is perhaps 

 trotting along, when all at once he begins shaking his head as if the bridle 

 chafed his ears, which are drawn back close to the poll. The driver gets 

 down to examine these facts, and observes the eyelids quivering, and the 

 nostrils affected with a trembling kind of spasm. Sometimes the rest will 

 allow of the attack going off, but most frequently the head is drawn to one 

 side, the legs of that half of the body seem to be paralyzed, and the horse 

 making a segment of a circle goes down, lies a few minutes on the ground, 

 and then rises as if nothing had happened beyond a slight sweating, and 

 disturbance of the respiration. 



Treatment can be of little avail, however, unless a correct diagnosis is 

 made, for remedies which would be suited to congestion would be prejudicial 

 to a diseased heart. If the attack has happened v/hile in harness, the 

 collar should always be carefully inspected, and if at all tight it should be 

 replaced by a deeper one. A " piped " collar, hollowed out, where it would 

 otherwise press upon the trachea, will enable many horses to work that are 

 otherwise liable to symj)toms of brain pressui'e. Bleeding gives immediate 

 relief, and if the driver lacks the skill and nerve to operate on the jugular 

 vein he may prick the palate with his penknife. A dose of aloes should 

 follow, and constipation be guai'ded against by judicious dieting. Horses 

 liable to megrims are dangerous creatures to use, and are constantly changing 

 hands at auction sales, where they become quite well known to habitue's, who 

 like to ascertain each new purchaser's address for their own purposes, when 

 the owner discovers he has not drawn a prize and is willing to make a 

 sacrifice. 



MAD STAGGERS 



Phrenitis or Mad Staggers are terms used to denote delirium and 

 violence, which may arise from a variety of causes ; as a sequel to 

 inflammatory diseases, brain tumours, rupture of internal organs, and 

 poisoning. 



If the disease is caused by eating some toxic agent, as Indian vetches, 



