30 VERTIGO — MEGRIMS. 



probably, until some one purchases him at a low rate by way of 

 speculation, as a subject for further or experimental treatment. 



Tying the Carotid Arteries was an operation resorted to 

 in affections of the head of this nature by my deceased friend, Mr. 

 John Field. He mentions one case in which the horse had long 

 endured megrims, and blood-letting and blistering had been fully 

 practised, wherein he put a ligature around the carotid of the near 

 side. After the operation, the horse appeared very stupid for some 

 days, but at length became lively, fed well, and, by the time the 

 wound in the neck had healed, seemed quite recovered. He was 

 sent to farming work, where he continued well up to the expiration 

 of twelve months from the time of the operation. He then evinced 

 symptoms of return of his disease, viz. stupidity, occasional deli- 

 rium, loss of sight from dilated pupils, &c. He had given him 

 eleven drachms of aloes, and had taken from him xxviij fb of blood. 

 Three days afterwards, the physic not operating enough, four drachms 

 more of aloes were given : he was kept quite quiet. Three weeks 

 from this, some symptoms still remaining — such as stupidity, 

 partial palsy of the optic nerves, &c., Mr. Field took up the carotid 

 artery of the opposite side. In a week afterwards he had once niore 

 quite recovered his senses, had become lively and obedient, and 

 ate with a good appetite. Of the sequel of this interesting case 

 I regret I am uninformed. 



The experiment of tying both carotids was made by Mr. Field 

 upon a black mare, who evinced some peculiar head-affection — 

 " biting at every thing she saw." She was cast, and had her 

 carotids tied : first, that on the near side ; then, the one on the off. 

 On drawing the ligature close upon the latter, the breathing became 

 stertorous, and she died in two minutes afterwards. On examina- 

 tion of her neck, the arteries were found securely tied ; nor was 

 either the sympathetic nerve or that of the par vagum included 

 within either ligature. There was a good deal of fluid within the 

 ventricles; but no inflammation of the brain nor of the frontal 

 sinuses. 



The Result of the first of these experiments is quite in accord- 

 ance with what we should expect, from knowing what happens 



