248 The Farmer's Veterinary Adviser. 



observable change of brain structure. Tlius, in dogs it 

 follows distemper, or depends on teething, worms in the 

 stomach or intestines, or acari (pentastoma).in the nasal 

 sinuses. In pigs indigestible substances iu the stomach 

 may determine it. Brown-Sequard showed how it could 

 be developed at will in Guinea-pigs by tickling the neck 

 and has even produced it in the human subject. In all 

 animals it may be looked on as, generally, a reflex act. 

 Abscesses, tumors, etc., of the brain have been found in 

 certain instances in horses, and the malady has super- 

 vened on a severe fright and chase, or a broken horn or 

 other injury to the head in cows. Probably in these 

 cases the disease of the brain has rendered it more sus- 

 ceptible to the impression coming from a distant part of 

 the body. The disease has proved hereditary in cattle. 



Symptoms. Sudden loss of sensation and voluntary 

 movement, with convulsive contraction of the muscles of 

 the trunk and limbs. The patient may or may not appear 

 dull or stupid for some time, but the attack is always sud- 

 den, the victim crying, falling to the ground, stiffening all 

 over, with clenched jaws, frothing at the lips and fixed 

 red eyeballs. The attack may last for one or several min- 

 utes, after which the muscles relax and the animal be- 

 comes conscious but retains considerable dullness or lan- 

 guor for a day or more. The attacks are more or less fre- 

 quent according to the activity of the exciting cause. 



T^'eatment. Remove the causes — worms or other irri- 

 tants iu the intestinal canal or elsewhere : — in excitable 

 plethoric animals restrict diet and give more exercise ; in 

 the bloodless, feed highly and give iron and bitters; in 

 dyspeptic pigs give sound food and bitters (gentian, quas- 

 sia, camomile, boneset, serpen taria, myrrh,) with iron. 

 In excitable stallions castration is usually needful. During 

 the attack inhalations of chloroform or ether, or the in- 

 jection of these agents or of chloral-hydrate wiU serve to 

 cut short the attack. If dependent on irritation of some 

 known part of the surface, attacks may be obviated by 



