CHAPTER XL. 



SPORADIC DISEASES— continued. 



LOCAL DISEASES— co?i^i/me(Z. 



(C.) ENCEPHALITIS, INFLAINIMATIOX OF THE BEAIN AND 

 MEMBRANES — CEREBEO - MENINGITIS, PHEENITIS, 

 MAD STAGGEES, PHEEN2Y, COi\IA, SLEEPY STAG- 

 GEES, STOMACH STAGGEES, ABDOMINAL VEETIGO, 



&c. 



Definition. — A morbid condition of the brain and its mem- 

 branes, attended with congestion of the vessels, effusion into the 

 ventricles and subarachnoid space, with exudation of lymph 

 between the convolutions, and arachnoid and pia mater. 



Percivall, Blaine, Dick, and others describe two forms of 

 staggers — the one arising from inflammation of the encephalon, 

 and the other from engorgement of the stomach, respectively 

 denominated " mad " and " stomach staggers ;" and we are led to 

 conclude that in the latter disease the brain is only sympatheti- 

 cally affected, or is disturbed by reflex irritation. Mr. Gamgee 

 says, " I regard phrenitis as almost an unknown disease." If by 

 this Mr. Gamgee means the phrenzy or mad staggers of our 

 forefathers, experience compels me to agree with him ; but if he 

 intends to convey the idea that encephalitis, or inflammation of 

 the brain and its membranes, occurs as a traumatic disease only, 

 I am bound, by the same experience, to differ from him, as ex- 

 perience amongst the living, and examinations of the dead 

 subject, have convinced me that the conditions named " mad," 

 when not caused by violence, traumatically, or by tumours, &c., 

 and "stomach staggers," are symptomatic of but one and the 

 same malady, namely, inflammation of the brain and its meninges, 

 and that the varying degrees of violence, convulsions, frenzy. 



