CHAPTER LXXL 



SrOEADIC DISEASES— continued. 



LOCAL DISEASES— co7itmued. 



(T.) HYSTEEIA. 



CoNCURKENT with the period of oestrum in the female, the 

 following symptoms — clenching of the jaws, grinding the teeth, 

 difficulty of swallowing, some degree of trismus, squinting of 

 the eyes, tonic spasms, alternating with those of a clonic kind, 

 continual kicking in an irregular uncontrolled manner with one or 

 both hind feet, stamping of the fore feet, and other signs of nervous 

 excitement, have been observed in the mare and female ass. 



In one case that I saw, the two fore shoes and one hind shoe had 

 been thrown off by the violent kicldng and stamping. Attempts 

 were made to remove the remaining one, which was loose ; they 

 were, however, unavailable, as the slightest touch caused a most 

 violent kicking. The animal would fall, the whole trunk and 

 neck being perfectly rigid, whilst the limbs continually moved in 

 a violent and spasmodic manner. The power of volition seemed 

 to be completely lost. The gluteal muscles were exceedingly 

 hard and prominent. The rapid opening and closing of the 

 vulva and its highly injected mucous membrane indicated the 

 hyperasthsesia of the genital organs. Urine was passed abun- 

 dantly, at first pale and watery, but afterwards highly coloured, 

 and loaded with solid matters. 



In another case the symptoms were rather different. The 

 animal was prostrate, rigid, with its eyes turned upwards, as if 

 in a trance. They were both bled, and an endeavour was made 

 to nauseate tliem with aloes, and to allay the nervous irritability 

 with opium. One recovered, the other died. For the prevention 

 of this condition I can only suggest that the sexual desire be 

 gratified if possible, whenever such a state of excitement short 

 of the above presents itself. 



