DISEASES OF THE GLANDS. " 123 



pitches, and reels like a drunken man. The length of time 

 which these spasms continue varies from twenty minutes to 

 an hour, or sometimes even two hours. Occurring, at first, 

 no oftener perhaps than once a day, they rapidly increase 

 in frequency and severity. As his end draws near, the horse 

 18 only out of one fit into another. The terrible sufibrings 

 of the poor creature in these paroxysms of agony are beyond 

 description. He stamps and paws with his fore-feet, rears 

 upon his hind legs, and, falling backwards, sometimes kills 

 himself instantly by the dislocation of his neck. If he falls 

 upon his side, he throws his feet rapidly about, and beats 

 the ground with his head in th« most violent manner. 

 iNow, quick as he is able, he springs to his feet, only to go 

 through with the same wild actions again. He does not 

 always fall to the ground, but sometimes reels and staggers 

 about, strikes out with his feet, and thus makes it danger- 

 bus to be near him. All at once he starts off on a run, as 

 fast as he can go. Bringing up against a tree, a fence, or 

 the side of a house, he is knocked flat to the earth, and, if 

 his legs or neck are not broken, he is sadly cut and bruised 

 at least. 



All this time his groanings and complainings continue 

 distressing in the extreme. Only at intervals does he seem 

 to be rational ; then he appears to recognize his keeper, and 

 it is really'painful to hear how piteously he begs for assist- 

 ance. During the subsidence of the spasm, his breathing 

 comes thick and fast. It is not only very rapid, but con- 

 strained, so that his sides puff in and out like a pair of bel- 

 lows. Finally the spasm spends its force, and passes off, 

 and, for a time, he rests in comparative ease. If on his 

 side, he remains lying there for a long time, as still as death. 

 Very commonly the spasm seems to pass off instantly, and, 

 if. on his feet, he remains standing, with his head drooping, 

 and eyes closed, as though he were asleep. After a time he 

 rouses again, and resumes his motions in a circle. 



When both sides are affected alike, (which is often the 

 case,) the horse becomes entirely blind in both eyes, and 



