Meningo — Encephalitis. Staggers. 105 



poisoning, or narcotism. The cases of cerebral parasitism are 

 usually slow in their onset. 



Upon the preliminary dullness and somnolence there super- 

 venes excitement, manifested by loud bellowing, pushing the 

 horns, forehead or teeth against the wall, labored often stertorous 

 breathing, a fixed eye often with dilated pupil giving it a peculiar 

 glaring appearance, movements of the jaws, frothing at the lips, 

 tremors, muscular spasms, twitching, or a restless disposition to 

 move, in a circle, in a straight line or less frequently backward. 

 The patient seems to see nothing and is utterly regardless of ob- 

 stacles. Sometimes the animal plunges violently into manger 

 or rack, against or through the partition of his box, through 

 fences, into ponds, pits, quarries and other dangerous places that 

 may be accidentally in his way. The paroxysms may be inter- 

 mitted by intervals of comparative calm, and tend to merge into 

 a condition of dulled sensation, staggering, stupor, hebetude and 

 paralysis. The congested conjunctiva and, when it can be seen, 

 the optic disc will correspond to the cerebral congestion. These 

 cases usually proceed to a fatal issue in a few hours. Some 

 cases, however, make a good recovery after a few days of dull- 

 ness and prostration. In cases that are connected with lead 

 poisoning, or the toxic action of narcotics in the fpdder, the at- 

 tendant circumstances will assist in the diagnosis. From malig- 

 nant catarrh implicating the encephalon, it may be distinguished 

 by the absence of the catarrhal inflammation of the conjunctiva, 

 pituita, sinuses, buccal mucous membrane, and genito-urinary 

 passages. Also of the tendency to implication of the hair follicles 

 and the keratogenous tissue of the frontal horns. 



In the Edinburgh Veterinary Review, Dundas describes a form 

 of alcoholism in cows caused by feeding these animals on " burnt 

 ales' ' in the vicinity of distilleries. The ale is given by steeping 

 straw in it, and the animals will also drink it freely. They often 

 sleep soundly after such a beverage or give evidence of intoxica- 

 tion. The head is turned singularly to one side and slightly ele- 

 vated. The pupils are widely dilated, and the eyes have a re- 

 markably wild appearance. On being approached the animals 

 wink rapidly and tremble. There is marked heat of head, horns, 

 and ears. When pressed with the finger in the axilla they fall 

 instantly and when pulled by the head they incline to turn over. 



