DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 287 



Varieties : — 



1. Mad Staggers. — The condition termed 'mad staggers' 

 may depend upon various causes. In the first place frenzy, 

 or violent uncontrollable fury, may be caused by inflamma- 

 tion of the membranes of the brain, or the brain itself, or 

 of both together. The frenzy-stage, or stage of irritation, 

 occurring in meningeal inflammation, though undoubtedly 

 also present in some cases of pure cerebritis (vide next 

 article), is not such a constant feature as in the former 

 disease. 



After the frenzy-stage, as the disease progresses, stupor, 

 coma, and paralysis may supervene. 



Mad staggers, or frenzy, may also be due to ursemic 

 poisoning, to rabies, or to melanotic deposits in the brain. 



Again, staggers resulting from engorgement of the 

 stomach may be so severe as to admit of being termed 

 'mad staggers.' Staggers dependent upon functional dis- 

 turbance is not followed by coma and paralysis, as it is 

 when dependent upon encephalitis, nor is it accompanied 

 by febrile manifestations, as in the latter case. 



2. Stomach Staggers. — This aff'ection is otherwise known 

 as acute indigestion or impaction of the stomach, and has 

 already been described. Stomach staggers is sometimes 

 termed ' sleepy staggers,' or ' coma.' Sleepy staggers, or 

 coma, manifested by staggering gait ; slow pulse and deep 

 respirations may be, however, and frequently is, dependent 

 on actual cerebral mischief. 



3. Grass Staggers. — This afl'ection is due to eating rye- 

 grass, and will be described under 'Keflex or Enzootic 

 Paraplegia.' 



4. Epilepsy. — Epileptic attacks have been confounded 

 with staggers depending upon secondary cerebral disturb- 

 ance due to reflex irritation. 



5. Megrims and Vertigo. — This aff'ection, which is usually 



