154 THE PRACTICE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 



gr. ss. once or twice daily. Bromide of potassium is useful. 

 Apply heat and cold alternately to the spine ; hand-rub 

 and warm the extremities with hot water, anodyne lini- 

 ments, etc. Give stimulants, using a catheter or probang 

 for the purpose, where power of deglutition is lost. Nourish- 

 ment may be given in the same way. Change food and 

 water of healthy, as well as sick animals. Treatment is un- 

 satisfactory as a rule, the animal generally dying.' 



CONVULSIVE ERGOTISM, ALCOHOLISM, Etc. 



This is a disease due to feeding on distillery slops, etc. Ergot 

 will produce diarrhoea, gangrene, dropping away of the toes, 

 etc. Gangrenous ergotism, when attacking the human being, 

 begins with a sense of weariness, and a feeling as though 

 myriads of insects were crawling over the body. In a few days 

 fever sets in, and the fingers, toes, and even legs, may, by dry 

 gangrene, drop off at the articulations. To a certain extent 

 the lower animals, and more particularly cattle, suffer from 

 this condition, but not to such an extent as man. The 

 disease is of more common occurrence in countries where 

 large quantities of rye are used in making bread. Con- 

 vulsive ergotism in animals is not uncommonly caused by 

 eating over-ripe or ergotized grasses, and sprouted grasses, 

 wheat, corn, etc., acting in a prejudicial manner upon the 

 digestive system primarily, and secondarily upon the ner- 

 vous system. There is one form of fungi that often pro- 

 duces it ; this fungus is found in ' malt commons,' coming 

 from breweries. However, when the brewer's grains are 

 fresh, and acted upon by boiling water, they constitute a 

 very good kind of food. 



SymiAoms. — The animal is very dull in appearance. There 

 may be a slightly comatose condition, which is occasionally 

 followed by more or less excitement. Loss of motor power 

 sometimes is well marked, the slightest push being sufficient 



