GROWTH, DECAY, AND DEATH 



7 A 5 



quietly. A large majority of them leave this world in powerful 

 convulsions, fighting or struggling to the last, lying on their 

 side, and galloping themselves to death. Especially is this 

 marked in acute abdominal trouble. The struggles at the end 

 should not be mistaken for pain : the animal is quite uncon- 

 scious. The violent convulsions which occur at the last moment 

 are not present in death from acute chest diseases ; such 

 cases stand persistently to the last, and either drop dead or 

 die very shortly afterwards. 



In violent death by destruction of the brain in horses, re- 

 markable muscular contractions of the limbs occur. These 



Fig. 259. — Brain destroyed by a Charge of Shot. 



The head has slightly dropped ; muscles of the quarters are preparing to contract, 

 as may be seen by their outline ; the tail is also turned to one side, and the 

 heel of one limb has left the ground. There is nothing, however, to indicate 

 the fact that the horse is dead. 



cannot be seen with the unaided eye, as they are so rapid, but 

 are readily revealed by the camera (Fig. 258). In spite of their 

 rapidity, a marked interval between brain destruction and 

 muscular contractions occurs. In Fig. 259 the brain was 

 destroyed by a charge of large shot, yet the horse is still standing, 

 the impulses producing convulsive limb movements not yet 

 having had time to pass out. At the moment of violent death 

 the bladder and rectum are emptied, the penis protruded, the 

 horse sweats on the inside of the thighs, the pupils dilate widely, 

 and occasionally, when all seems at an end, the panniculus is 

 called into play, and the animal may shake the skin with re- 



