191 



animal becomes extremely violent early in tlie attack, and by rear- 

 ing up, striking witli the fore feet, or falling over, may do lumsalf 

 great injur}-. Usuallj', however, the animal maintains the stand- 

 ing i)osition, propping himself against the manger or wall until he 

 falls from inability of muscular control or unconsciousness. Occa- 

 sionally he may go through a series of automatic movements in his 

 delirium, such as trotting or walking, and if loose in a stall will 

 move around in a circle persistently. Early and persistent consti- 

 pation of the bowels is a marked symptom in nearly all acute affec- 

 tions of the brain; retention of the urine, also, is frequently observed. 

 Chronic encephalitis. — This may succeed the acute stage, or maybe 

 due to stable miasma, blood-poison, narcotism, lead-poisoning, etc. 

 Contrary to acute encephalitis, this form is not characterized in its 

 initial stages by excitability, quick and hard pulse, and high fever. 

 The animal appears at first stupid; eats slowly; the pupil of the e3"e 

 does not resi3ond to light quickh'; the animal often throws u^) his head 

 or shakes it as if suffering sudden twinges or pain. He is slow and 

 sluggish in his movements, or there may be partial paralysis of one 

 limb, one side of the face, neck, or body. These symptoms, with some 

 variations, mny be present for several days and then subside, or ihe 

 disease may pass into the acute stage and terminate fatall}'. Chronic 

 encephalitis maj- affect an animal for ten days or two weeks without 

 much variation in the symptoms before the crisis is reached. If 

 improvement commences the sj^m^jtoms usually disappear in the 

 reverse order in which they developed with the exception of the para- 

 l3'tic effects, which remain intractable or permaneu-t. Parah'sis of 

 certain sets of muscles is a very common result of chronic, subacute, 

 and acute encephalitis, and is due to softening of the brain, or to 

 exudation into the cavities of the brain or arachnoid space. 



MENINGITIS — THE MAD STAGGERS OF THE OLD V\'RITER8 — INFLAMMA- 

 TION OF THE CEREBRAL ENVELOPES. 



Causes. — Excess of heat or cold, wounds of the cranium and mem- 

 branes, rheumatism, influenza, rupture of meningeal blood-vessels, etc. 



Symptoms. — In an attack of acute meningitis the symptoms appear 

 very suddenly- and are often extremeh* violent. The violent pain in 

 the head is indicated by the animal flj'ing back in the lialter, plung- 

 ing forward or running ahead, regardless of obstacles or obstructions 

 in the Avay. The pulse is very rapid, the breathing accelerated or 

 panting, the pupils of the eyes contracted, and the muscles of the bod}'- 

 quivering. All these sj'mptoms may develop Avithin a fcAV minutes or 

 in a few hours. If the animal does not obtain' relief , spasms or rigidity 

 of the muscles along one or both sides of the neck or back Avill become 

 manifest, the head Avill be held elevated, the eyeballs Avill retract into 

 their sockets, the eye-lids twitch, convulsions and furious delirium 

 Avill soon appear, folloAved by coma and death. Acute meningitis may 



