C H A P T E R V I . 



DISEASES OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM. 



'General remarks on the Anatomy and Physiology of the Nervous System of 

 the Horse. Strin^halt, Chorea, Shivering., '''' Immobilite.^'' Megrims^ or 

 Congestion of the Brai?t. Mad Staggers, or Inflammation of the Brain. 

 Epilepsy, Paralysis, Hydrocephalies, or JJ'^ater on the Brain. Tiimours 

 of the Brain. 



<;eneral remarks on the anatomy and physiology 

 of the nervous system. 



Diseases of the nervous system, as might be expected, are not nearly so 

 frequently met with in the equine tribe as they are in man, and they present 

 far less diversity of form and character. It is sufficiently clear that amid all 

 the marchings and counter-marchings which have been taking place in the 

 rapidly advancing civilisation of man, the most forced and rapid advancement 

 is that which has been aptly termed the "march of intellect." But, like 

 •other forced movements, it has been attended by many heavy penalties ; for 

 all forced marches, when repeated frequently, wear out the finest troops that 

 were ever commanded by energetic generals. So has it been with modern 

 intellectual advancement, rendered imperative by the growing demand of 

 progressive civilisation, which has been attended, as has been known for 

 some time past, by those many forms of nervous exhaustion, which appear 

 before us like spectres at every step. 



It is not our purpose here, to discuss this part of our subject further, 

 but we may point out that the horse, by nature retiring, timid, and excitable, 

 idthough as far as we know^ free from nervous diseases, while enjoying liberty, 

 untouched by the hand of man, has likewise become subject to a list of 

 maladies, fortunately not a long one, the results of confinement, and the 

 artificial conditions which attend it. We shall treat of stringhalt, "shivering," 

 chorea, megrims, mad staggers, epilepsy, paralysis, water and tumours in the 

 brain. Before describing these maladies, we may first consider briefly a few 

 of the most. important structural features of the nervous system ; for these 

 are of very great interest and importance. The nervous system of man and 

 the higher animals consists of two portions — the cerebro-spinal and the 

 sympathetic — each of which has certain characteristics in structural build, in 



