Psychic Disturbances. 4^5 



resume consciousness. Sometimes vomiting (in dogs) and invol- 

 untary discharge of urine and feces ensue. 



(For details see Friedberger-Frohner, Veterinary Pathology, Amer. 

 Ed., 1904. W. T. Keener & Co., Chicago.) 



Persistent unconsciousness, coma {to KWfxa, lethargy, from 

 KOiixdw, to hill to sleep), or sopor {sopor, a sleeping draught), is a 

 state of insensibility which is met in serious brain afifections, 

 intoxications (uremia) and particularly in connection with 

 haemorrhages from the cerebral vessels; in the last when it 

 occurs suddenly and paralysis results, the process is usually called 

 a brain or nerrous stroke (apoplexia cercbralis, nervosa: 

 dKOTr\-n<raeiu, to Strike down). When unconsciousness occurs par- 

 oxysmally, accompanied by muscular spasms and loss of sensa- 

 tion it is known as falling sickness or epilepsy { v iTrlXvi^i^ ) ; it de- 

 pends ui)on some functional disturbance of the cortical centres, 

 the real cause of which is, however, unknown. Compression of 

 the intracranial structures, as from blood clots, tumors, increased 

 pressure of the cerebro-spinal fluid, or collections of exudate, 

 give rise to the symptoms of compression of the brain (brain 

 depression). These consist of general dulHng of the senses, a 

 somnolent, lethargic attitude, staggering and awkward gait and 

 diminution of sensibility. The animal stands as though deaf, 

 leans against some adjacent body for support, hangs its head or 

 supports it against the wall or manger, and the eyelids are closed 

 as if in sleep and the pupils dilated. The animal may be hard to 

 move from one spot and may continue for hours at a time in some 

 abnormal posture (legs crossed or kneeling), or may run about 

 with staggering gait into the wall and all sorts of obstacles, or 

 may continually move about in a ring; it is apathetic when 

 spoken to. touched, whipped, bitten by flies, etc.; takes no food, 

 or holds its food in the mouth without chewing, pushes its nose 

 deep into the water in drinking; and may show other special 

 pressure symptoms according to the particular part of the brain 

 • affected (reversed movements, riding paces, focal movements, 

 dancing or rolling movements, or pressing toward one side). In 

 the man and the dog there are also observed peculiar alterations 

 of the eye-ground, so-called [choke disc] papillary conges- 

 tion (really a papillitis, inflammation of the papilla and optic 

 "nerve); in horses with blind staggers these are not noted 

 (merely an ansemia recognized — Friedberger-Frohner). These 

 symptoms depend upon the fact that in the first place in the 



