PHRENITIS. 75 



erect, or bent forward to catch the slightest sound ; and the 

 horse, becoming more irritable every instant, trembles at the 

 slightest motion. The irritability of the patient increases — it 

 may be said to change to ferocity — ^but the animal has no aim 

 or object in what he does. He dashes himself violently about, 

 plunges in every direction, rears on his hind-legs, whirls round 

 and round, and then falls backward with dreadful force. He lies 

 for a while exhausted — ^there is a remission of the symptoms, 

 but perhaps only for a minute or two, or possibly for a quarter 

 of an hour. 



In the intervals between the paroxysms, one or both jugulars 

 should be opened ; and all the blood abstracted that can he ob- 

 tained. It is better not even to pin up the vein at aU. The 

 patient wiU never thus be lost, and it is indispensable to 

 promptly relieve the brain and reduce the inflammation. Physic 

 should be administered, and that which wiU most speedily act. 

 The farina of the Croton nut will, perhaps, have the prefer- 

 ence. Half a drachm or two scruples of it may be fearlessly 

 administered. This medicine can be administered in the form 

 of a little ball, or in drink, by means of the probang, or a 

 stick, or the horn. Sometimes the phrenetic horse will drink 

 «vith avidity, and thus repeated doses of purgative medicine may 

 be given, and they should be continued until the bowels respond 

 The forehead should be blistered, if it can in any way be ac- 

 complished ; yet but little service is to be expected from this 

 manipulation. The bowels having been well opened, digitalis 

 should be administered. .Its first and most powerful action is on 

 the heart, diminishing both the number and strength of its 

 pulsations. To this may be added emetic tartar and nitre, bui 

 not a particle of hellebore ; for that drug, if it acts at all, pro- 

 duces an increased determination of blood to the brain. 



The second paroxysm is more dreadful than the first. Again 

 the animal whirls round and round, and plunges and falls. He 

 seizes his clothing and rends it in pieces; perhaps, destitute of. 

 feeling and of consciousness, he bites and tears himself. He 

 darts furiously at everything within his reach ; but no mind, no 

 design, seems to mingle with or govern his fury. These attacks 

 and remissions follow for an imcertain period, until he becomes 

 unable to rise. He pants — ^he foams — at length., completely 

 exhausted, he dies. 



While the disease continues, no attempt must be made to 

 induce the horse to feed ; and even when appetite returns with 

 the abatement of inflammation, great caution must be exercised 

 both with regard to the quantity and quality of the food. 



The post-mortem appearances arc altogether uncertain. There 

 is usuaUy very great injection and inflammation of the meiU' 



