300 INFLAMMATION OF THE BRAIN. 



head against a tree, or pacing around it ; his eyeHds are 

 hkewise partially closed, and when elevated, the pupil is 

 seen dilated, and around it increased redness and vascu- 

 larity of the conjunctival coat ; likewise of the nasal mem- 

 branes. Stubborn costiveness is also present, and almost 

 invariably the pulse is below its natural standard. The 

 breathing is slow, laboured, and evidently sleepy in the 

 early stage ; stertorous breathing only occurs in extreme 

 cases. These lethargic appearances sometimes increase 

 rapidly ; the horse occasionally falling down, sleeping with 

 food in his mouth ; and when roused, relapsing into stupor 

 until nervous excitement is totally suspended ; and the 

 animal dies in two, three, or four days, or may live to the 

 sixth or seventh ; or the disease may give way to a natural 

 or to an artificial cure. The post-mortem appearances of 

 such as die in this state or stage of the disease show the 

 cerebral membranes, usually turgid with blood throughout 

 all their envelopments ; the plexus choroides more particu- 

 larly so ; and the stomach greatly distended with undigested 

 food, and partially inflamed. 



The 7nad staggers occasionally makes its appearance 

 without the former stage being prominent or observable ; but 

 in the majority of cases the lethargic state is followed by 

 phrenitic symptoms of more intensity : the pulse rises ; 

 there is much watchfulness and irritability of manner ; occa- 

 sionally stamping of the feet, and a delirious look. The 

 mouth is hot and dry ; the nasal and conjunctival mem- 

 branes are much heightened in colour, and the breathing is 

 greatly quickened : as the disease advances the pulse is 

 full and frequent ; sometimes it is peculiarly hard and 

 irregular, scarcely remaining the same for an hour to- 

 gether : the horse bounds from side to side ; delirious fits 

 occur, which make it dangerous to approach him ; the 

 violent convulsions wdiich suddenly seize him rendering it 

 not uncommon for him to rear and strike out his fore feet 

 with great violence ; or he will sometimes in so doing fall 

 backwards, in which state he will lie sweating at every 

 pore, apparently with the intensity of the pain he suffers : 

 small hard dung-balls are forced out at such times, or a 

 small quantity of highly coloured and sometimes offensive 

 urine is expelled ; from which he may experience slight 



