DISEASES QF THE XERVOUS SYSTEM. 253 



in worse cases the patient will twist the legs over each other in 

 walking straight, or will even rest the head or haunches on 

 manger or stall. The bowels are torpid. The symptoms are 

 like those of stomach staggers without the abdominal disorder. 



The animal may recover so as to work well in winter, while 

 utterly useless in summer, and this state may last for several 

 years. A complete recovery is rare, and yet it is occasionally 

 seen, everything depending on the structural changes existing. 

 But even in the incurable cases the progress may be retarded 

 by treatment. 



Treatment. — In hot weather keep in a cool, well-aired place, 

 or in the open air in the shade. Give soft laxative diet, free 

 access to cold water, and an occasional purgative (sulphate of 

 soda). A course of tonics (iron, nux vomica, gentian), and 

 diuretics (digitalis, iodide of potassium, bromide of potassium \ 

 are often useful. Blisters may be applied to the neck or limbs 

 if there seems to be effusion. The correction of any existing 

 disorder in the lungs, liver, or kidneys, will increase the pros- 

 pects of cure ; when well enough to use, such horses should 

 wear a breast-strap in place of a collar, and should not be 

 overdone. They should never be used for breeding purposes. 



APOPLEXY. 



Sudden loss of sensation and voluntary motion from effusion 

 on the brain, and associated with a turgid condition of the 

 blood-vessels of the head and neck. 



Causes. — It occurs in plethoric animals during exertion, in 

 those suffering from softening of the brain, the result of plugging 

 of the vessels with fibrinous clots, of concussion, congestion, 

 etc. The symptoms are congestion of the head, dulness, 

 heaviness, folio v\red by complete paralysis, sensory and motor, 

 loud stertorous breathing, and dilatation of the pupils. 



Treatment. — In the early stages, before the patient is para- 

 lysed, apply cold water or ice to the head, bleed from the 



