122 DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 



in a pultaceous state, so as to carry off any source of irritation to the 

 intestinal canal, and particularly some species of worms, too frequent 

 sources of irritation there. To these should be added nutritious food, 

 gentle exercise, tonic medicines, and general comforts. Counter-irritants 

 may be applied such as blisters over the head, and setons, extending from 

 poll to poll the application of turpentine, or the tincture of cantharides ; 

 but all of these will frequently be of no effect, and occasionally a rapid 

 and fearful increase of irritability will ensue : antispasmodics are in this 

 case of no use, and narcotics are altogether powerless. As for tonics, 

 iron and gentian have been serviceable to a certain extent, but they have 

 never cured the complaint. The nitrate of silver will be the sheet-anchor 

 of the practitioner, and if early used will seldom deceive him. It should 

 be combined with ginger, and given morning and night, in doses varying 

 from one-sixth to one-third of a grain, according to the size of the dog. 



The condition and strength of the dog, and the season of the year, will 

 be our best guides. If the patient has not lost much flesh, and is not 

 losing it at the time that we have to do with him, and has few symptoms 

 of general debility, and spring or summer are approaching, we may with 

 tolerable confidence predict a cure ; but, if he has been rapidly losing 

 ground, and is doing so still, and staggers about and falls, there is no 

 medicine that will restore him. 



5th October, 1840. A pointer, eighteen months old, had had the dis- 

 temper, but not severely, and was apparently recovering, when he suddenly 

 lost all voluntary power over his limbs. He was unable to get up, and 

 his legs were in constant, rapid, and violent motion. This continued three 

 days, during which he had refused all food, when, the dog being in the 

 country, my advice was asked. I ordered a strong emetic to be given to 

 him, and after that a dose of Epsom salts, the insertion of a seton, and, in 

 addition to this, our usual tonic was to be given twice every day. His 

 food to consist chiefly of good strong soup, which was to be forced upon him 

 in a sufficient quantity. 



In two days he was able to get up and stagger about, although frequently 

 falling. His appetite returned. He continued to improve, and most rapidly 

 gained strength and especially flesh. A very peculiar, high-lifting, clam- 

 bering, and uncertain motion of the legs remained, with an apparent defect 

 of sight, for he ran against almost everything. 



In six weeks the seton was removed, and the dog remained in the same 

 ' state until the 7th of December. The uncertain clambering motion was 

 now increasing, and likewise the defect of sight. He ran against almost 

 every person and every thing. The cornea was transparent, the iris con- 

 tracted, there was no opacity of the lens, or pink tint of the retina, but a 

 peculiar glassy appearance, as unconscious of everything around it. An 

 emetic was given, and, after that, an ounce of sulphate of magnesia. 



8th. He was dreadfully ill after taking the salts ; perhaps they were 

 not genuine. For two days he panted sadly, refused his food, and vomited 

 that which was forced upon him. His muzzle was hot ; he could scarcely 

 stand ; he lost flesh very rapidly. An emetic was given immediately, and 

 a distemper-ball daily. 



16th. He soon began rapidly to recover, until he was in nearly the same 



state as before, except that the sight was apparently more deficient. The 



sulphate of magnesia was given every fourth day, and another seton inserted. 



21 st. He continued the medicine and evidently improved, the sight re- 



