28 VERTIGO— MEG KIMS. 



cases it becomes compulsory — to return him to his stable. It is 

 not every horse that has the peculiar carriage of the head before- 

 described that is subject to fits of megrims; while, on the other 

 hand, there are horses who experience such fits without any such 

 predisposing manifestation. Generally speaking, these fits relapse 

 at uncertain intervals — becoming in a manner constitutional — 

 though it is possible a horse may have one fit, and suffer no return. 



Causes. — High or full condition, hot weather, exertion or agi- 

 tation of any kind, may be said to be likely to produce a fit in a 

 horse predisposed to megrims; although such causes are not in 

 some cases recognisable. Harness-horses in particular appear sub- 

 ject to the disorder : this may arise from the long-continued con- 

 straint the bearing-rein puts the head to. I knew a horse who had 

 a fit of megrims every time he was put into harness ; as if temper 

 seemed to induce it. D'Arboval mentions an instance of a young 

 vigorous stallion becoming seized with megrims brought on by 

 repeated acts of covering. 



The Pathology of Megrims remains undeveloped. It cannot 

 be said essentially to consist in any determination of blood to the 

 brain, though that may sometimes prove the immediate excitant; 

 else, why should it so often return, and occasionally under circum- 

 stances when no such determination can be proved to exist? Mr. 

 Charles Percivall informs me that he has discovered water in the 

 brains of megrimed horses. Nothing will satisfactorily account for 

 the general incurability of the disease but organic change of some 

 part of the sensorium. I do not believe, with the French veteri- 

 narians, that megrims ever arises from a disordered alimentary 

 canal. 



Hereditariness. — With some horses megrims appears to be 

 an hereditary affection : there has existed from their earliest colt- 

 hood a look and a manner that the eye of the horseman detects as 

 symptomatic of ingenerate aberration, which at mature growth, and 

 when put to work, is likely to turn to megrims ; or which may not 

 turn to any thing more than a sort of stupidity or idiotcy, or un- 

 usual stubbornness when required to do any thing. A colt only 

 three years old, belonging to the First Life Guards, on being taken 

 up out of the strawyard in his fourth year to be broke, manifested 



