l^ FI1«, MEGRIMS, NATURAL REMEDY. 



ol attack, whilst mad staggers is that affection of the brain which causes the 

 animal to kick, to tumble, and plunge about: both are occasioned by diseased 

 stomach, brought on by inflammation of that organ, or simply by the retention 

 of a great mass of indigestible food there and in the intestines: constipation 

 attends every species of staggers, antl in some cases the hardened dung may 

 be felt or observed by applying the senses to the proper parts. The breath 

 is offensive, the respiration impeded, and the pulse high and sharp in mad 

 statrcrers, whilst in the sleepy it is slow, heavy, and full, without vibration [see 

 page' 62]. When these latter symptoms continue a long time, the blood de- 

 termines towards the head, and the pulse increases, if the animal be one in 

 good condition : and unless bleeding and purging be employed effectually, 

 sooner or later ends in apoplexy, or one paroxysm only, which terminates fa- 

 tally. High-bred cattle, stallions, and brood mares, which are pampered in 

 their food with stimulants, frecpiently fall victims to this kind of attack, as do 

 their progeny wbilst under traini:ig, sometimes. In some cases the animal 

 makes one effort, in others it drops instantaneously; so the reader may per- 

 ceive that he does not stagger at all : and 1 infer that a manifest difference 

 exists between the two, although both arising from the same cause; for, the 

 one we may afford some assistance to, and usually succeed in performing a 

 cure; incase of a[)oplexy, the only symptom is remediless — death. To pre- 

 scribe for such an event would be utterly useless. 



Under the head of "costivcness" I have already considered the origin of 

 staggers, and prescribed the remedy at page 68; because that is the disease, 

 whilst staggers, &c. are but the accompanying symptoms. 



The MKGRiMs is an occasional attack on the sensc>rium or brain, in which 

 the animal drops down as if shot, lies motionless awhile, recovers slowly, and 

 IS next day fit to go and do the same thing again, if pushed in his work. 

 This disorder originated in a foul stomach, in one case that came under my 

 care, and was at first a fit of the sleepy kind, which afterwards degenerated 

 into megrims; the morbid state of the head, I apprehend, continued in a tri- 

 vial degree, which any great exertion brought into activity. Sometimes these 

 megrims are preceded by a short warning, when the animal rears up before it 

 falls, or rambles hke a drunkard ; it then tumbles and plunges about with con- 

 siderable danger to those who may collect around it. The muscles of the 

 eye are usually affected, much in the way of horses in locked jaw, or the hu- 

 man subject in a " falling fit ;" but all those symptoms disappear upon em- 

 ploying the proper remedies, some of them so quickly and by such means as 

 !o appear the effect of a simple mechanical operation. 



The cause of staggers, and the symptoms that distinguish the one kind 

 from the others, being thus settled, without distracting the inquirer with need- 

 less distinctions of agriculturists or the fanciful reveries of the doctors, let us 

 proceed to the 



Remedies. — Farm horses that live much in the straw-yard, and work hard 

 on bad hay, &c. will sometimes stand still at once, as if struck motionless in 

 the rnidst of their work, which is a sure sign that some great leading function 

 has been suspended for the moment by reason of the great exertion. The 

 driver has nothing more to do in this case than let the tired creature rest for 

 the space of a minute or two, and then proceed in his work a Uttle more lei- 

 surely. Prevention is lietter than cure. 



In all ordinary cases of staggers, simply opening the bowels will effect a 

 cure nine times out often ; and when the animal shows symptoms of a disor- 

 dered stomach, the coming disorder may be warded off by a dose of physic. 

 In violent attacks; let a clyster be first employed, of warm water, in which 

 common salt has been dissolved, and the hardened dung brought away by 

 manual assistance — as more fully detailed elsewhere — see the mude of doing 



