44 THE MODERN HORSE DOCTOR. 



brain, besides other symptoms, there is a disposition to rear up 

 or fall backwards, when any one attempts to handle the head. 



Should apoplexy proceed from tumor within the cranium, it 

 seldom, if ever, admits of perfect recovery. 



Symptoms of Sanguineous Apoplexy. — The horse generally 

 falls down suddenly, and remains in a state of insensibility ; the 

 breathing is laborious, the eyes are fixed, glassy, and amaurotic; 

 the membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth are highly injected, 

 ofttimes of a purple color ; the veins of the neck are distended, 

 the pulse is strong, full, and slow ; the whole muscular system is 

 occasionally affected spasmodically, and the limbs are icy cold. 



Treatment. — Our first business is to endeavor to arouse ther 

 patient out of his lethargy. Some strong spirits of hartshorn 

 should be held to the nostrils, while one or two persons are 

 engaged in rubbing the external surface with stimulants ; mus- 

 tard and vinegar must be used pretty freely to the limbs, followed 

 with hard rubbing and stimulating injections. If through these 

 means we should be successful in bringing the patient to a state 

 of consciousness, the next object should be to evacuate the bow- 

 els : our usual drench in such cases is, 



Powdered aloes, 6 drachms, 



" assafcetida, 2 " 



" lobelia, 3 " 



To be mixed in warm water, sufficient, 



Before this drench is administered, the practitioner must sat- 

 isfy himself that the patient has so far recovered as to be able to 

 swallow, or the medicine may prove a death warrant. If the 

 apoplectic fit be only the effect of plethora from high feeding and 

 want of proper exercise, this treatment will generally succeed. 

 We have had occasion, however, in a few cases, to follow up the 

 drench with salts, dissolved in a bucket of water, which our 

 patients generally drank. The after treatment consists in feed- 

 ing the animal with great care ; and the best means to prevent a 

 recurrence is to let the animal run to pasture. 



Dr. White refers to a case of apoplexy " that was considered 

 hopeless, and not worth any further attention ; yet as it was sup- 

 posed that blood had been effused on the brain, the horse was 

 trepanned, (a portion of the skull removed,) and an opening 



