216 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 
the walls of the abscesses are fringed and ragged and have no lining 
membrane. In older or chronic cases the walls of the abscesses are. 
generally lined with a strong membrane, often having the appearance 
of a sac or cyst, and the contents have a very offensive odor. 
Treatment.—iIn all acute attacks of inflammation involving the. 
membranes or cerebral masses, it is the pressure from the distended 
and engorged blood vessels and the rapid accumulation of inflamma- 
tory products that endangers the life of the animal in even the very 
early stage of the disease. The earlier the treatment is commenced to 
lessen the danger of fatal pressure from the engorged blood vessels, 
the less effusion and smaller number of inflammatory products we 
have to contend with later. The leading object, then, to be accom- 
plished in the treatment of the first stage of encephalitis, meningitis, 
or cerebritis, and before a dangerous degree of effusion or exudation 
has taken place, is to relieve the engorgement of the blood vessels and 
thereby lessen the irritation or excitability of the affected structures. 
If the attempt to relieve the engorgement in the first stage has been 
only partially successful, and the second stage, with its inflammatory 
products and exudations, whether serous or plastic, has set in, then 
the main objects in further treatment are to keep up the strength of 
the animal and hasten the absorption of the exudative products as 
much as possible. To obtain these results, when the animal is found 
in the initial stage of the disease, if there is unnatural excitability or. 
stupor with increase of temperature and quickened pulse, we should 
apply cold to the head in the form of cold water or ice. For this pur-. 
pose cloths or bags may be used, and they should be renewed as often 
as necessary. If the disease is still in its early stages and the animal 
is strong, bleeding from the jugular vein may be beneficial. Good 
results are to be expected only during the stage of excitement, while 
there is a strong, full pulse and the mucous membranes of the head 
are red from a plentiful supply of blood. The finger should be kept 
on the pulse and the blood allowed to flow until there is distinct 
softening of the pulse. As soon as the animal recovers somewhat 
from the shock of the bleeding the following medicine should be 
made into a ball or dissolved in a pint of warm water and be given 
at one dose: Barbados aloes, 7 drams; calomel, 2 drams; powdered 
ginger, 1 dram; tincture of aconite, 20 drops. 
The animal should be placed in a cool, dark place, as free from 
noise as possible. When the animal becomes thirsty half an ounce 
of bromid of potash may be dissolved in the drinking water every 
six hours. Injections of warm water into the rectum may facilitate 
the action of the purgative. Norwood’s tincture of veratrum viride, 
in 20-drop doses, should be given every hour and 1 dram of solid 
extract of belladonna every four hours until the symptoms become 
modified and the pulse regular and full. 
