118 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



' ;i>t appears startled and stares wildly. "When moving about the an- 

 imal may stagger, the hindquarters swaying from side to side. 



When the delirium ensues the cow is commonly said to be mad. She 

 may bellow, stamp her feet, run about wildly, grate the teeth, froth at 

 the mouth. If she is confined in the stable, she rears and plunges; 

 the convulsions are so violent in many instances that it is really dan- 

 gerous for one to attempt to render aid. The body may be covered 

 with perspiration. She may fall; the muscles twitch and jerk; often 

 the head is raised and then dashed against the ground until blood 

 issues from the nose and mouth; the eyes maybe bloodshot and sight- 

 less; the limbs stiff and outstretched, or they may be kicked about 

 recklessly; the head may be drawn back and the tail drawn up; the 

 urine maybe squirted out in spurts; often the "washer" (membrane 

 nic titans) is forced over the eye. When the convulsions cease they 

 may be followed by a period of quiet unconsciousness coma which is 

 more dr less prolonged, when the animal may gradually regain con- 

 sciousness, get up on its feet, and perhaps quietly partake of food, if 

 there be any within reach, while at other times it arises with much dif- 

 ficulty and staggers blindly about the stall or field. 



It must be remembered that all the foregoing symptoms are not 

 always seen in the same case. In those cases usually designated sleepy 

 staggers the general symptoms of drowsiness are presented, while in 

 other cases the symptoms of frenzy cause the affection to be called mad 

 staggers. In other cases, when the spinal cord and its membranes are 

 more or less involved, there are symptoms of paralysis, swaying of the 

 hindquarters, inability to rise, etc. 



The various symptoms increase in frequency and intensity until they 

 end in death, which is almost invariably <he result of an attack of en- 

 cephalitis in cattle. 



It is well to remark that when the disease follows injuries to the 

 head, the symptoms may not be manifested until two or three days (or 

 longer) after the accident. 



Treatment. For reasons which are obvious from the description of 

 the symptoms, treatment of this disease is anything but satisfactory. 

 Recoveries are rare in spite of careful scientific attention, even in those 

 cases which are under the most favorable circumstances. To be of any 

 service whatever the treatment must be prompt and begin with the 

 disease. In the early stage the pulse is large, and in most cases will 

 admit of bleeding. Eight or nine quarts of blood should be taken from 

 the jugular vein. This should be followed immediately by a purgative, 

 the following, for a cow of average size: Epsom salts, 24 ounces; pul- 

 verized gamboge, ounce; croton oil, 20 drops; warm water, 3 quarts. 

 Mix all together and give at once, as a drench. 



About 2 quarts of warm water or warm soapsuds should be injected 

 with a syringe into the rectum (last gut) every three or four hours. It 

 is best to keep the animal in a quiet, sheltered place, where it will be 



