628 DISEASES OF SWINE 



result, the animal becomes stunted, loses weight, and not infre- 

 quently dies in an attack. 



In some cases the seizures are more mild, and last but a few 

 seconds. Consciousness may not be entirely lost and the entire 

 attack is mild. 



Treatment. — For the purpose of relieving the immediate spasm 

 dipping the animal in a tub of warm water is about the most simple 

 and effective procedure. This can be very easily done in the case 

 of young pigs. With older animals relaxation can be accom- 

 plished by dashing a pail of cold water on the head. For the pur- 

 pose of preventing further attacks bromid of potash is the one 

 effective remedy. This should be given in doses of 20 to 30 gr. 

 with the food two or three times a day. In a true epileptic case 

 even this agent may prove unsuccessful, and in such cases the best 

 procedure is to get rid of the animal by selling him for slaughter. 

 In true epilepsy the attacks grow more severe and more frequent as 

 the subject gets older, and death is likely to occur in a few months 

 during one of these seizures. 



Crotalin, or rattlesnake venom, has been lately advocated as a 

 treatment for epilepsy. It is a rather expensive agent, but would 

 be justified in the case of valuable pure-bred stock. 



SPASMS (ECLAMPSIA, CONVULSIONS) 

 This is a condition which is frequently met with in young pigs 

 as a result of reflex irritation of the nervous system from inflam- 

 mation of the stomach and intestines. The spinal cord of the pig 

 is especially susceptible to reflex irritation, and convulsions are 

 very easily produced by inflammations in other parts of the body. 

 These convulsions are often mistaken for true epileptic seizures, 

 which they very closely stimulate. 



Causes. — These attacks occur with such great frequency at the 

 time of teething that there is a disposition on the part of many 

 authors to consider the extreme sensitiveness of the gums at this 

 time as one of the principal causes of the disease. This un- 

 doubtedly does have something to do with the attacks, but there 

 can usually be found some digestive or other disturbance which is 

 in large part the actual cause of the attacks. Overloading of the 

 stomach with indigestible food, the presence of large numbers 



