110 THE HOG. 



EPILEPSY. 



The pig occasionally exhibits all the symptoms of epilepsy in 

 their most frightful intensity, and whoever has carefully marked the 

 habits of swine when not confined to the sty will easily be able to 

 account for this ; for, obtuse and stupid as it is the custom to deno- 

 minate them, there is more excitability and nervousness in these 

 animals than in many that have the credit of being more delicately 

 organized. Note the manner in which they are affected by the ap- 

 proach of wind or storms how they run about in a state of highly 

 nervous excitement with straw in their mouths ; note the sympathy 

 and terror a whole herd will exhibit while one of them is undergo- 

 ing the operation of spaying or ringing, how they squeak in concert 

 with his cries ; see them at a fair under the irritation of strange 

 scenes and noises, and we shall find sufficient indications of a sus- 

 ceptibility of impression to account for swine being peculiarly 

 subject to epilepsy. 



The prognostics are constant grunting, restlessness, acceleration of 

 breathing, pallor of the skin, and a staggering gait. Then the ani- 

 rnal suddenly falls as if struck by lightning, and for a few moments 

 lies perfectly motionless ; after which convulsions come on gradually, 

 increasing in intensity until they are fearful to behold ; the counte- 

 nance is distorted, the neck curved in every direction, and the legs 

 alternately drawn up to the body, and extended with momentarily 

 increasing rapidity. The eyes protrude, the pupils are distended, 

 and the balls roll about. The tongue is protruded and fixed between 

 the clenched jaws ; the teeth grind together, foam and saliva flow 

 from the mouth. The pulse is wiry and small at first, then hard and 

 bounding, and, as the intensity of the fit decreases, irregular and 

 intermittent. Throughout the whole of the fit the animal remains 

 perfectly unconscious, and as he recovers gets up, tries to hide him- 

 self in the litter or in a corner of the sty, and looks terrified and 

 wild ; then gradually the impression passes away, and he creeps out 

 and begins to eat again. The seizure of one pig is often but a pre- 

 lude to that of the greater number of those contained in the sty. 

 The fits often succeed each other rapidly, two or three occurring in 

 one day ; and the cries uttered by the animals while in them are 

 distressing in the extreme. 



Medical treatment can only be resorted to in the intervals between 

 the fits, and is seldom successful. It consists of cold affusions applied 

 to the head, bleeding, and energetic purgatives, followed up by low 

 diet, perfect quiet, mid cooling medicines. The best way of keeping 

 the head cool is to tie a piece of cloth about it, and then keep this con- 

 stantly wet. A very efficient cold lotion for this purpose may bo 

 composed of a pint of vinegar to two quarts of water, and one ounce 

 of sal arwjoniac. Salts and calomel may be given as purgatives. 



