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SHIVERING, “ IMMOBILITE.” 
“SHIVERING” is so called from the resemblance of the muscular spasms to 
‘shiverings. J#ewzob¢lété is the word which the French apply to those cases 
-of muscular weakness which are manifested by the inability of the horse to 
turn round quickly, without falling. The horse can walk or trot forwards, 
‘but when turned sharply, he falls to the ground. Sometimes a horse turns 
with great difficulty, but does not actually fall. He moves his hind limbs 
in an unsteady and irregular way, and seems to have but little power of 
‘co-ordinating the movement of this part of the body. This latter condition* 
is generally termed by horsemen broken or sprained back, and is usually 
ue to chronic disease of the spinal marrow. Shivering, zvzmodzlité, and 
sprained back all constitute unsoundness. Professor Williams records 
that four young horses, the progeny of a dam which was affected in the back, 
- died from paralysis of the spine, before they had attained the age of three 
years. A fifth is now living, and shows signs of aggravated nerve disease. 
Nerve disease is commonly transmitted to the offspring in the equine tribe, 
_and we mentioned in treating of roaring, a nervous disease often dependent 
upon dietetic mismanagement, the important part which hereditary disease 
plays in the production of this malady. 
MEGRIMS, OR CONGESTION OF THE BRAIN. 
WE turn now to the remaining disorders of the nervous system of the horse, 
namely, megrims, mad staggers, epilepsy, paralysis of the lips, water and 
tumours in the brain, and lock-jaw or tetanus. We have, in treating of 
diseases of the stomach, spoken fully of stomach staggers, and in treating of 
poisons, we spoke of grass staggers. Now, we have first to consider the 
two remaining varieties of staggers, and these are megrims or congestion of 
the brain, and mad staggers, or inflammation of the brain and its 
coverings. : 
Megrims or “vertigo,” also spoken of as “staggers,” occurring in harness 
or draught horses is almost always due to mechanical impediment to the flow 
of the blood from the brain, occasioned by the pressure of too tightly or 
badly fitting harness. By some, megrims is believed to be due to 
inflammatory action, but there do not appear to be any grounds for this 
supposition. It is said that megrims may be produced by exposure to the 
rays of the sun, or by driving fast aftera heavy meal. These causes certainly 
may increase the tendency to this affection, but it is very improbable that 
they alone can cause it. As already pointed out, indigestion is liable to be 
caused by driving fast after heavy meals, and may induce dizziness or 
staggers, which it is not easy to distinguish from megrims depending on 
actual congestion of the brain. : 
An attack of megrims is generally sudden in its onset, there being 
usually no warning symptoms. The animal slackens speed, or stops 
*Our readers will understand that the disease termed sprained back has no relation to true 
4prain of the muscles of the back, of which we shall treat along with other sprains. 
