500 SPOKADIC DISEASES. 



jected, sometimes convulsively agitated, at other times in a 

 condition of strabismus (squinting), and sometimes fixed. During 

 t]ie fit the pulse is frequent, hard, sometimes intermittent, at 

 other times scarcely perceptible; the respiration is stertorous, 

 and sweats bedew the body. 



I have carefully studied epilepsy, and have concluded that 

 the condition termed vertigo or megrims is separate and dis- 

 tinct from what may be designated epilepsy, which is a disease, 

 functional or otherwise, arising from extrinsic or intrinsic ner- 

 vous irritation ; whereas megrims is a term applied to all diseases 

 which are associated with periods of insensibility or convulsions. 

 I therefore limit the term epilepsy to a nervous affection charac- 

 terised by convulsions, and which may appear either in the 

 stable, kennel, or outside, at exercise or rest ; whilst vertigo is 

 applicable to a condition of syncope arising from disease of the 

 heart or pericardium, and which occurs whilst the animal is at 

 work or exercise. The epileptic subject, especially the horse, 

 may be occasionally recognised whilst the animal is perfectly 

 ([uiet, by a shaking of the head, and a working backwards and 

 forwards of the ears, also by an occasional vacant, upward stare. 

 This shaking of the head must not be confounded with that 

 caused by ill fitting bridles and head-stalls. Some horses are 

 peculiarly square on the upper portion of the sides of the neck, 

 and it will often be found that the borders of the neck are chafed 

 ])y the head-gear. This should be carefully looked to before 

 an opinion is given as to the soundness or unsoundness of a 

 horse that shakes its head. 



Treatment of Upilejjsi/. — If the fits are due to eccentric or 

 peripheral causes — for example, to teetliing, worms in the stomach 

 or intestinal canal, or indigestion, and this is not an infrequent 

 cause, particularly in cattle — the first thing to be done is to 

 remove these sources of irritation, by lancing the gums, extrac- 

 tion of offending teeth, and, by the use of vermifuges and 

 purgatives, to expel worms or other intestinal irritants. 



If the fits are due to disease of the nervous centres, all causes 

 which may induce excitement or congestion of tliem are to be 

 avoided ; the food must be light and digestible, and the intestinal 

 track cleared by means of purgatives, whilst the congestion, or 

 a tendency to it, of the medulla oblongata and brain is best pre- 

 vented or overcome by extract of, belladonna. In the dog, 



