«1 (SEASES OF THE BRAIN AND NERVOUS SYSTEM. 81 
tion of the vessels, and is, theretore, more allied to the dre psiea 
than to inflammations. It is the collection of serum which does 
the misc hief—presses on the brain, and causes the coma and stu- 
por. It so, the occurrence of those symptoms should be regarded 
as secondary, instead of as primary, and as analogous to ascites, 
uropsy, or anasarca, following disease of the kidneys. These 
pathological considerations are, it appears to me, wholly opposed 
to the idea of blood-letting and antiphlogistics being beneficial 
after effusion has occurred.” 
Equine CHOREA, OR STRINGHALT. 
Chorea, or stringhalt, consists of an irregular and involuntary 
spasmodic action of some of the muscles of the hind extremities, 
Equine chorea differs somewhat from human chorea. In the lat- 
ter case, it usually begins with slight twitches in the muscles of 
the face, or in the upper extremities, and various parts of the bouy 
twitch and contort in such a singular and unnatural manner, 
that some persons have denominated the disease “ insanity of the 
muscles.” 
In the case of horses, no such “insanity of muscles” has been 
observed. It is mainly confined to the posterior limbs. Mr. 
Frron, a distinguished V. S., contends that stringhalt beare 
some affinity to what is known in human medicine as chorea, or 
“St. Vitus’ dance.” He does not, however, wish to convey the 
idea that they are essentially the same disease, only they are both 
of a convulsive or spasmodic character, wherein the mind, will, 
or instinct has lost more or less of its control over the voluntary 
ronscles of the hind extremities, and the peculiar feat is thus ac- 
complished. When the animal has lifted his hind leg from the 
ground, which is always done with a convulsive twitch, the fet- 
lock nearly approaches the belly, and, by some other remarkable 
irregularities in its action, before the foot can be replaced on the 
ground, displays such unnatural movements as to convince us that 
volition is impaired. Hence, we may infer that, in a majority of 
cases, stringhalt is the result of some abnormal condition of the 
nervous system. What occasions that condition is a matter of 
fact and argument, which remains as an open question for some 
future pathologist to decide. So far as the author’s experience 
goes, he is satisfied from actual dissection of the parts, that some 
