DISEASES OF THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM. 255 



stomach and the brain, the disease will go on — it will be- 

 come worse and worse every honr, and this imperfect coma- 

 tose state will remain during two or three days. The apo- 

 plexy of the phrenitic horse will often run its course in a few 

 hours. 



*' II a case of evident phrenitis, blood-letting and physic 

 must be early carried to their full extent. The horse will 

 often be materially relieved, and, perhaps, cured, by this de- 

 cisive treatment; but, if the golden hour has been sufiered to 

 pass, or if remedial measures have become ineffectual, the 

 scene all at once changes, and the most violent reaction suc- 

 ceeds. The eye brightens — strangely so; the membrane of 

 the eye becomes suddenly reddened, and forms a frightful 

 contrast with the transparency of the cornea; the pupil is 

 dilated to the utmost; the nostril, before scarcely moving, 

 expands and quivers, and labors ; the respiration becomes 

 short and quick ; the ears are erect, or beflt forward to catch 

 the slightest sound ; and the horse, becoming more irritable 

 every instant, trembles at the slightest motion. The irrita- 

 bility of the patient increases — it may be said to change to 

 ferocity — but the animal has no aim or object in what he 

 does. He dashes himself violently about, plunges in every 

 direction, rears on his hind legs, whirls round and round, 

 and then falls backward with dreadful force. He lies for 

 awhile exhausted ; there is a remission of the symptoms, but 

 perhaps only for a minute or two, or possibly for a quarter 

 of an hour. :?? :jc * 



"The second attack is more dreadful than the first. Again 

 the animal whirls round and round, and plunges and falls. 

 He seizes his clothing and rends it in pieces ; perhaps, desti- 

 tute of feeling and of consciousness, he bites and tears him- 

 self. He darts furiously at every thing within his reach ; but 

 no mind, no design, seems to mingle with or govern his 

 fury. • 



"Another and another remission and a return of the ex- 

 acerbation follow, and then, wearied out, he becomes quiet ; 

 but it is not the quietness of returning reason, it is mere 



