STAGGERS. 135 



that in the space of one night, not a blade or spire of 

 grass has been left untouched. This web, catching the 

 dew-drops on its bosom, causes the fields in the morn- 

 ing to glisten and sparkle as if covered with a thin 

 sheet of ice. A horse that feeds upon a pasture in 

 this situation must, of course, collect large quantities 

 of this web and dew, and very often the spider itself. 

 They act upon the horse, producing delirium, giddi- 

 ness, apoplexy, and sometimes death. The lungs 

 appear to be the principal seat of this disease ; for in 

 cases of dissection they have been found much en- 

 larged, and covered wdth large brown spots ; smell 

 very offensively, and have some appearance of mor 

 tification. 



The large quantity of poison taken into the stomach 

 acts upon its nerves, and the sympathy that exists be- 

 tween that organ and the large nerves of the head, 

 accounts for the dull, giddy, and dejected countenance 

 of the animal, and has induced many to believe the 

 staggers was confined to that part alone. The poison 

 is then removed from the stomach by the activity of 

 the lymphatic and absorbent vessels, thrown into the 

 circulation of the blood, diffused over every part of the 

 system, and finally carried by the arteries into the 

 lungs, through which all the blood in the body of a 

 horse passes many times in an hour, and undergoes a 

 change. Sometimes a determination of blood to the 

 head takes place, which generally ends fatally, pro- 

 ducing a furious delirium, the horse throwing himself 

 about with great violence, making it dangerous for any 

 person to venture near him. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of the staggers are a 



drowsiness, eyes inflamed, half shut, and full of tears, 



the appetite bad, the disposition to sleep gradually 



increased, feebleness, a continual hanging of the head 



13 



