IMMOBILITE. 567 



THE EXAMINATION OF A SHIVEREK for soundness is not 

 always an easy task to perform with .accuracy, because the symp- 

 toms are often intermittent. It should naturally be conducted 

 with greater care, in the case of a heavy horse, than in that of a 

 light one. It is advisable to adopt the following procedure : 



1. See the horse in his stall or box, and observe if he " cocks" 

 his tail or leg. Make him move over to one side, and then to the 

 other. 



2. Sharply back him and turn him to both sides, and note how 

 he lifts his legs. 



3. Take ujd each of his legs, one after the other, hold them up 

 for a few seconds, and see that there is no unusual difficulty in 

 raising them, and that he does not shiver. 



4. Offer him water to drink, and observe if he " cocks " his tail 

 or leg. 



Immobilite 



is a more or less chronic condition brought on by various kinds 

 of brain disease, of which water on the brain is the most common. 

 It is chara/Cterised by mental torpidity and failure to correctly co- 

 ordinate external impressions. 



I venture to think that immobolite is extremely rare in England, 

 where it is often erroneously supposed to be identical with '' shiver- 

 ing." According to Friedberger, Frohner, Cadeac, and others, it 

 is frequent on the Continent. Mancuer, quoted by Cadiot and Hies, 

 states that it " rages like a true enzootic in certain parts of the 

 Alps, and of the Valley of the Rhone ; attacking in preference brood 

 mares and young horses of from six months to three years of age, 

 but seldom mules. There are certain stricken farms on which 

 horse breeding cannot be carried on, as all the young horses become 

 attacked with immobilite by the time they are one or two years 

 old. In districts where this disease is common, human beings are 

 equally subject to brain affections." 



The SYMPTOMS are those of pressure on the brain, which con- 

 sequently suffers from partial absorption. There is more or less 

 loss of consciousness, feeling, and power of volition. The pulse 

 and respiration are slow, and there is an entire absence of fever. 

 The animal often shows a tendency to go round in a circle, and 

 during movement to raise his feet very high, as if he were passing 

 through a stream of water or crossing an obstacle (Friedberger and 

 Frohner). He pays little or no heed to sights, sounds, or blows. 

 He eats his food in an irregular manner, fast, slow, or at intervals, 

 and frequently holds a portion of grass or hay in his mouth for 



