510 SPOKADIC DISEASES. 



eflbrt. All at once the tonic contractions subside, and there 

 will be great muscular debility; the legs bend, the animal 

 totters, sometimes falls, and when down will fight convulsively, 

 and for a time be unable to rise. By slow degrees consciousness 

 to some extent returns ; the animal may then regain its feet, 

 and will perhaps commence to feed ; then fall asleep, with its 

 mouth full of food, or look about in a wild, staring, vacant 

 manner, or ramble unconsciously about the box, striking its head 

 against everything that may come in the way, the eyes amau- 

 rotic, and the animal quite blind. 



Sometimes there is flaccidity or paralysis of the muscles 

 supplied by the cranial nerves, the lips are pendulous, and the 

 tongue hangs out of the mouth. At other times there will be 

 tonic spasm of the facial and masticatory muscles, and some 

 degree of trismus present. 



The disease may attack the animal whilst at grass in the 

 field. It is then observed to ramble about in an unconscious, 

 drowsy manner, until it meets with some solid object, against 

 which it fixes its head, and then moves its limbs continuously. 



In cases which have been noticed at the commencement of 

 the attack, some degree of rigor has always been observed 

 premonitory to the development of other symptoms. 



The above symptoms are subject to some variations. In 

 some animals the comatose and paralytic conditions are the most 

 prominent throughout, whilst in others delirium, convulsions, 

 and spasmodic contractions alternate with the stupor. In otlier 

 cases, again, the spinal system seems most affected when para- 

 lysis, without loss of consciousness, or with but a slight degree 

 of drowsiness, is present. 



There appears to be a general diminution of the various 

 secretions ; the costiveness is obstinate ; the urine is secreted in 

 small quantities, and is particularly high in colour. The 

 function of the liver is also suspended, and the whole system 

 becomes tinged with the non-excreted biliary colouring matter 

 — biliverdine. 



As the disease advances the coma is more profound, or the 

 fits of excitement and frenzy more frequent, and of shorter 

 duration, leaving the animal mure and more enfeebled ; the pulse 

 is now small and quick, and the breathing stertorous and diffi- 

 cult ; profuse sweats bathe the body, the sphincters relax, the 



