217 



wherever they can be traced. In many instances the outbreak of the 

 disease has been simultaneonsly witnessed where brewers' grains, oats, 

 and hay have been fed, which could be traced from place to place, 

 from one diseased center to another. That they were the carriers, if 

 not the ]3rime factors, can not be denied. 



Syinptoms. — The symptoms which typify sporadic or ei)idemic 

 cerebro-spinal meningitis in man are seldom witnessed in equal dis- 

 tinctness among horses, viz: excessive j)ain, high fever, and earl}^ 

 muscular rigidity'. In the recognition of the severity of the attack we 

 may divide the symptoms into three grades. In the most rapidly fatal 

 attacks, the animal may first indicate it by weak, staggering gait, 

 partial or total inability to swallow solids or liquids, impairment of 

 eyesight ; twitching of the uTUScles, and slight cramps may be observed. 

 This is soon followed by a paralysis of the whole body, inability to 

 stand, delirium in which the animal sometimes goes through a series 

 of automatic movements as if trotting or running; the delirium may 

 become very violent and the animal in his unconsciousness bruise his 

 head in his struggles very seriously, but usually a deep coma renders 

 him quiet until he expires. Death in these cases usuall}' takes place 

 in from four to twentj^-four hours from the time the first symptoms 

 became manifest. The pulse is variable during the progress of the 

 disease; it may be almost imperceptible at times, and then again 

 ver}' rapid and irregular; the resj)irations generally are quick and 

 catching. When attacked in this rai)idly fatal form we maj' be able 

 only to distinguish it from encephalitis when other animals in the 

 same stable or neighborhood are similarly affected. In the next form 

 in which it may develop, it first becomes manifest by a difficulty in 

 swallowing and slowness in mastication, and a weakness which may 

 be first noticed in the strength of the tail; the animal will be unable 

 to switch it or to offer resistance when we bend it up over the croup. 

 The pulse is often a little slower than normal. There is no evidence 

 of pain; the respirations are unchanged, and the temperature little 

 less than normal; the bowels may be somewhat constii^ated. These 

 symptoms may remain unchanged for two or three days and then grad- 

 ual improvement take place, or the power to swallow may become 

 entirely lost and the weakness and uncertainty in gait more and more 

 perceijtible; then sleepiness or coma may appear; the pulse becomes 

 depressed, slow and weak, the breathing stertorous, and paroxysms of 

 delirium develop, with inability to stand, and some rigidity of the 

 sijinal muscles or partial cramp of the neck and jaws. In such cases 

 death may occur in from six to ten days from the commencement of the 

 attack. In many cases there is no evidence of i^ain, spasm, or fever 

 at any time during the progress of the disease, and finally profound 

 coma develops and death follows, painless and without a struggle. 



In the last or mildest form, the inability of voluntary control of the 

 limbs becomes but slightly marked, the power of swallo^^ing never 



