114 PARTICULAE FRACTURES. 



remedies may produce an impression on the nervous system pre- 

 disposing it to inflammatory action. 



In the third stage, or that of inflammation of the brain, there 

 must be a prompt abstraction of blood, the administration of a 

 full cathartic, and, when the delirium of the animal will allow 

 the attendant to handle him, cold must be applied to the head 

 by means of cold water, or even ice. 



It is necessary that the abstraction of blood should not be 

 carried too far, for if there be laceration of the brain, the consti- 

 tution may be so weakened by such bleeding as to prevent the 

 process of repair being set up in the lesion. 



The signs of the inflammatory condition may subside, or may 

 be succeeded by others, denoting that compression of the brain 

 by blood, serum, or pus, is present ; and in well-marked cases 

 there is insensibility and unconsciousness, as in the first stage ; 

 — with this diff"erence, that in mere concussion the symptoms 

 pass off, and even during its continuance there are occasional fits 

 of restlessness ; but during compression they are constant whilst 

 the cause is in operation. The retina is perfectly insensible, the 

 iris motionless, the pupil dilated, the respiration slow, difficult, 

 and stertorous ; the animal may breathe through the mouth, the 

 tongue hanging out ; and the air puffs out the checks. A cow 

 in the comatose stage of milk fever will present a familiar 

 example of this. Stertorous breathing arises from the relaxation 

 of the velum palati, and of the laryngeal and pharyngeal muscles. 

 This relaxation prevents the free passage of the air, and gives 

 rise to the noise in breathing called stertor. 



This condition of the animal is that of complete coma, and 

 death is caused by asphyxia resulting from paralysis of the 

 muscles of respiration; and from the insensibility destroying 

 the feeling of the want of au', which in ordinary circumstances 

 excites the respiratory movements. 



The pulse is generally slow, full, and labouring, as the action 

 of the heart does not seem, as in concussion, to be affected 

 directly, but to become impeded, from the obstruction of the cir- 

 culation through the pulmonary vessels. 



There is loss of the power of swallowing, from paralysis of the 

 muscles of deglutition ; the action of the bowels is arrested, from 

 their walls being affected by the general paralysis ; the sphincter 

 ani is relaxed, and fajces are passed involuntarily ; the bladder is 



