234 DISEASES OF THE BRAIN 



patient is usually very languid, the gait staggering, and 

 there is a profuse outbreak of sweat. Temperature may 

 reach 110° F. or over. 



Prognosis. — ^The prognosis is bad, the animal usually dying 

 of asphyxia. 



Treatment. — ^Heatstroke is treated much the same as sun- 

 stroke. Atropin, caffein and camphor are used with cold 

 applications (hosing) to the body. To relieve the dyspnea, 

 due to edema of the lungs, bleeding may be resorted to. 

 The temperature may be reduced by cold enemas. 



TRAUMATIC INJURY AND CONCUSSION OF THE BRAIN. 



Definition. — A bruising of the brain the result of direct 

 injury to the cranium or other part of the head. 



Etiology. — In horses contusion and concussion of the brain 

 may result from kicks, blows, collisions diu-ing runaways, 

 falling upon the head, etc. In cattle it may be due to the 

 animal falling heavily or being horned by another. The 

 result of the injiu-y is very varied. In some instances a 

 fracture of the skull with hemorrhage results; in others 

 there is a bruising of the brain substance without even 

 the skin showing lesion. Undoubtedly more or less hem- 

 orrhage occurs in the brain substance and intracranial 

 tension is increased. The patient also suffers from shock. 



Symptoms. — Following violent blows on the head the 

 symptoms usually appear at once; in some cases, however, 

 an hour or two may elapse before they make themselves 

 manifest. The symptoms are generally the result of accu- 

 mulations of blood in the brain, due to the tramnatism. . 

 Where the injury has not been great the animal appears 

 stunned, falls to the ground, where it may remain for ten 

 to twenty minutes, to jBnally regain complete consciousness. 

 Sometimes permanent symptoms may be left behind. 

 When the injury has been severe the animal is found lying 

 unconscious, pupils dilated and reflexes dormant. The 

 respirations are slow and irregular, the pulse usually rapid, 

 but occasionally slow and often arhythmic. Incontinence 

 of feces and urine may occur. Usually after lying imcon- 



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