INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN. 299 



possible means must be tried by gentleness and frequent 

 attempts, with an enduring- patience, to drain the udder 

 thoroughly. The cow will resist much, but all depends 

 upon this act being well performed. 



CHAPTER II. 



MADNESS, OR PHRENITIS, OR INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN 



IN HORSES. 



When this springs from blows, causing inflammation or 

 abscess of the brain, all medical measures are useless. It 

 is better to order the horse which is thus injured to be 

 immediately shot, than to hazard any kind of hopeless 

 treatment. If, however, this advice be rejected, the medi- 

 cines should be such as are calculated to check most violent 

 and speedy inflammation ; and further than this, we have 

 no recommendation to submit to the reader. The time for 

 adopting measures intended to relieve the injured animal, 

 is during the comatose stage, that usually precedes the 

 violent one, which last, when it has once commenced, sets 

 all remedial treatment at defiance. 



MAD STAGGERS, SLEEPY STAGGERS, STOMACH STAGGERS. 



It was common to consider these as distinct diseases ; 

 but morbid anatomy and a more extended field of observa- 

 tion have taught us that they are only modifications of one 

 aflection. The sleepy staggers of farriers is usually but the 

 first stage of mad staggers. It is true it does occasionally 

 run its course, either fatal or otherwise, under the first 

 form, but it is much more frequently the precursor to the 

 last. 



The symptoms will vary as the attack is more or less 

 acute, or as its approaches are slow or sudden. When slow, 

 it is ushered in by a loss of the usual attention to objects 

 around, and an accompanying drowsiness, which increases 

 into lethargy; the appetite at first is rather interrupted 

 than lost. When the attack is sudden, the horse is at once 

 found with his head hanging between his legs, or rested in 

 the manger, or forced against that or the walls of the stable ; 

 or if it occurs at grass, he is often found thus resting his 



