196 BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 



engorged blood vessels and the rapid accumulation of inflammatory 

 products that endangers the life of the animal in even the very early 

 stage of the disease. The earlier the treatment is commenced to lessen 

 the danger of fatal pressure from the engorged blood vessels, the less 

 amount of inflammatory products and effusion we have to contend with 

 later on. The leading object, then, to be accomplished in the treat- 

 ment of the first stages of encephalitis, meningitis, or cerebritis is to 

 relieve the engorgement of the blood vessels before a dangerous degree 

 of effusion or exudation has taken place, and thereby lessen the irrita- 

 tion or excitability of the affected structures. If the attempt to relieve 

 the engorgement in the first stage has been onl}^ partially' successful, 

 and the second stage with its inflammatory products and exudations, 

 whether serous or plastic, has set in, then the main objects in further 

 treatment arc to keep up the strength of the animal and hasten the 

 absorption of the exudative products as much as possible. To obtain 

 these results, when the animal is found in the initial stage of the dis- 

 ease, where there is unnatural excitability or stupor with increase of 

 temperature and ciuickened pulse, we should apply cold to the head in 

 the form of cold water or ice. For this purpose cloths or bags may 

 be used, and they should be renewed as often as necessary. . If the dis- 

 ease is still in its early stages and the animal is strong, bleeding from 

 the jugular vein may be beneficial. Good results are to be expected 

 only during the stage of excitement, while there is a strong, full pulse 

 and the mucous membranes of the head are red from a plentiful suppl}^ 

 of blood. The finger should be kept on the pulse and the blood allowed 

 to flow until there is distinct softening of the pulse. As soon as the 

 animal recovers somewhat from the shock of the bleeding, the follow- 

 ing medicine should be made into a ball or dissolved in a pint of warm 

 water and be given at one dose: Barbados aloes, 7 drams; calomel, 2 

 drams; powdered ginger, 1 dram; tincture of aconite, 20 drops. 



The animal should be placed in a cool, dark place, as free from noise 

 as possible. When the animal becomes thirsty half an ounce of bro- 

 mide of potash may be dissolved in his drinking water every six hours. 

 Injections of warm water into the rectum may facilitate the action of 

 the purgative. Norwood's tincture of veratrum viride, in 20-drop 

 doses, should be given every hour, and 1 dram of solid extract of 

 belladonna every four hours until the symptoms become modified and 

 the pulse regular and full. 



If this treatment fails to give relief the disease will pass into the 

 advanced stages, or, if the animal has been neglected in the early 

 stages, the treatment must be supplanted with the hypodermic injec- 

 tion of ergotin, in 5-grain doses, dissolved in 1 dram of water, every 

 six hours. The limbs ma}^ be poulticed above the fetlocks with mus- 

 tard. Warm blanketing, to promote perspiration, is to be observed 

 in all cases in which there is no excessive perspiration. 



