DISEASES OF THE NEBVOUS SYSTEM. 171 



head, and heat to the hody, to lessen the flow of blood to the brain, and 

 thereby prevent Inflammation. 



As soon as the animal can swallow, a purgative should be administered, 

 and his bowels subsequently kept active. If inflammatory symptoms 

 manifest themselves, leeches should ho applied to the back of the head 

 and followed by a blister. Perfect quietude is a marked essential. The 

 diet should be mUd and unstimulating. 



The effects of a severe concussion often persist for a long time and may 

 eventually indicate the need of strychnine in small doses. 



Hyd<r ocES^H^az us. 



This afl'ection is occasionally seen among dogs In early life. The for- 

 mation of tuhercules on the membranes of the brain, is generally stated 

 to be the exciting cause ; the normal fluid contents become intensely aug- 

 mented, and portions of the brain degenerate and soften. The affection is 

 more often present at birth, but is not necessarily congenital. A state of 

 Impaired nutrition, a weakly constitution, and the co-existence of rickets 

 or scrofula is the more often noted. 



Puppies affected with the disorder show a lack, and possibly a total 

 absence of intelligence. Very often partial paralysis of the hind legs 

 occurs, and the dull, drowsy, symptoms observed in compression manifest 

 themselves in a greater or less degree. Convulsions often set in late in the 

 disease. The general appearance of the animal after a time clearly indi- 

 cates the hopelessness of treatment. 



COM<PSiESSIOJ\r Of THE B^aijv. 



Compression of the brain is more often produced by either an efllisioii 

 of blood, tumors, fracture of the skull with depression, or by the forma- 

 tion of pus or serous fluid within the cranial cavity. 



.JyOTjo/oM*.— Partial or complete unconsciousness and stupor, breath- 

 ing slow, labored, and noisy ; pupil dilated and insensible ; pulse slow ; 

 sometimes the urine dribbles away, and a discharge of feces occurs invol- 

 untary. 



f)iagnotit. — To discriminate between concussion and compression 

 of the brain is by no means easy In some cases. The leading points of 

 distinction are as follows .—The symptoms of concussion appear Immedi- 

 ately after the accident; those of compression from an effusion of blood, 

 may manifest themselves after an interval. Be it understood that for a 



