DISEASES OF THE OX AND SHEEP. 555 



foolish, and its pulse and respirations are few in number. Soon, 

 febrile symptoms manifest themselves, the temperature being 

 heightened, and the head and horns hot. The conjunctiva of 

 the eyes is reddened with blood, the eyes themselves have a 

 wild look, and if the brain itself is affected, they become more 

 or less blind^ and roll from side to side. The suffering animal 

 may press the head against some object near, or may constantly 

 try to rest the haunches on anything that is at hand. Violent 

 paroxysms of delirium, in which the animal bellows and charges 

 madly about, making it very unsafe for anyone to approach, 

 alternate with periods of stupor. The poor creature trembles, 

 undergoes more or less extreme convulsions, falls frequently, and 

 at last paralysis, coma, and death close the scene. After death, 

 if an examination be made, the membranes and the brain- 

 substance are seen to be highly congested, the " puncta vascu- 

 losa " being unusually distinct. Sometimes the brain is softened, 

 and there may be a large quantity of fluid in the arachnoid and 

 sub-arachnoid spaces. 



Treatment. — If a considerable amount of blood be abstracted 

 at an early stage in the disease, there is no doubt that the con- 

 gestion may be sometimes relieved. The application of cold 

 water, too, to the head is sometimes beneficial, and a cathartic 

 should be administered. For this purpose croton oil may be 

 used, if the veterinarian shall think it advisable to do so, and it 

 has also been recommended that sedative agents, such as hydro- 

 cyanic acid, should be administered subcutaneously. Although, 

 however, in some cases the owner and the veterinary surgeon 

 may both concur in thinking treatment advisable, there is no 

 doubt that in most instances it will be thought best to order the 

 animal to be shot, since it is often impossible to provide suitable 

 nursing and treatment without endangering human life, and, even 

 if the animal should be temporarily cured, there is a great liability 

 of the disease re-appearing. 



EPILEPSY, MEGRIMS, OR STAGGERS. 

 This affection, which is most prevalent among young and 

 debilitated animals, may sometimes result from anaemia or certain 

 other forms of blood disease. Cattle suffer from gastric vertigo 

 not unlike epilepsy, or they may have epileptoid convulsions, it 

 is said, as a result of long sea-voyages or rheumatism. Our 



