CHAPTER lY. 



DISEASES OF THE BRAIN AND NEEVOUS SYSTEM. 



Encephalitis, Phrenitis, Mad Staggers, Blind Staggers, Sleepy Staggers, Coma, 

 Stomach Staggers, Brain Fever, Megrims, Vertigo, Giddiness, Apoplexy, 

 Chorea, Stringhalt, Tetanus, Trismus, Lockjaw, Paralysis, Palsy, Paraplegia, 

 Hydrophobia, Rabies, Epizootic Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis, Spotted Fever, 

 Putrid Fever, Cold Plague, Sunstroke. 



STAGGERS. 



Synonyms. — Phrenitis; Encephalitis; Mad staggers; Blind staggers; 

 Sleepy staggers; Coma; Stomach staggers; Brain fever. 



Definition. — These diseases may be primarily affections of the brain; 

 they may and frequently do arise from indigestion; they are all sympto- 

 matic of inflammation of the brain and its membranes. 



Etiology. — Staggers commonly have their origin in some derange- 

 ment of the organs of digestion; it is probable that it is not so much the 

 engorgement of the stomach as it is the indigestibility of the food eaten 

 which produces this malady. When a horse has fasted any considerable 

 time, food should be given sparingly and gradually, and at first it should 

 be of any easily soluble character, such, for instance, as oatmeal gruel. 



All varieties of this affection may also arise from pressure on the 

 brain, such as that which may be occasioned by the formation of a tu- 

 mor or an abscess on the brain or in the lateral ventricles, or by a tumor 

 in the head pressing on the brain. Such tumors, as they increase, pro- 

 duce gradually augmenting results either of coma or delirium, or of both 



