Cerebrospinal Menmgitis, 89 



Not unfrequently after the attack is over some palsy of the 

 limbs, generally the hind limbs, remains. This can oe most 

 successfully met by doses of strychninej beginning with three 

 grains twice a day, and cautiously increasing it a grain every two 

 days, until the animal is taking twelve or fifteen grains daily. 



CEREBRO-SPINAL MENINGITIS. 



Definition. — A congestion passing into inflammation of the 

 brain and spinal marrow and its envelopes, accompanied by 

 paralysis. 



Causes. — This disease is generally epidemic, and confined 

 to the cold months of the year. By most, it is attributed to 

 a blood poison floating in the air. Some of the epidemics, 

 as that in New York city in 1871, were extremely fatal, and 

 of the horses attacked with it early after its appearance very 

 few recovered. It is believed not to be contagious, so that 

 little advantage is gained by separating horses. 



Symptoms. — In its more severe form, the animal is gener- 

 ally attacked suddenly with loss of power to swallow, or with 

 a spasm ; the hind quarters soon turn cold to the touch, and 

 there is great tenderness on pressure at some spot along the 

 spine. Ihe horse loses the power to stand, the bladder and 

 bowels discharge their contents without effort, and the neck 

 becomes stiff and contracted similar to lockjaw. In some 

 cases frenzy comes on before the palsy, the animal beats its 

 head against the wall with great violence, uttering horrible 

 cries, and soon dies from the agony. The temperature of 

 the skin is lower than in health, and of the rectum but little 

 higher. When the latter rises to 103° or 104° death is im- 

 minent. The urine and pulse are not much altered until 

 the disease is well established, but the breathing is more or 

 less snoring as a rule. 



Treatment. — The first step is to put the animal in a w^ell 



