214 DISEASES OF THE BRAIN 



patient is usually very languid, the gait staggering, and there 

 is a profuse outbreak of sweat. Temperature may reach 

 110° F. or over. 



Prognosis. — The prognosis is bad, the animal usually dying 

 of asphyxia. 



Treatment. — Heatstroke is treated much the same as sun- 

 stroke. Atropin, caffein, and camphor are used with cold 

 applications (hosing) to the body. To relieve the dyspnea 

 due to edema of the lungs, bleeding' may be resorted to. The 

 temperature may be reduced by cold enemas. 



TRAUMATIC INJURY AND CONCUSSION OF THE BRAIN. 



Definition. — A bruising of the brain the result of direct 

 injury to the cranium or other part of the head. 



Etiology. — In horses contusion and concussion of the brain 

 may result from kicks, blows, collisions during runaways, 

 falling upon the head, etc. In cattle it may be due to the 

 animal falling heavily or being horned by another. The result 

 of the injury is very varied. In some instances a fracture of 

 the skull with hemorrhage results; in others there is a bruis- 

 ing of the brain substance without even the skin showing 

 lesion. Undoubtedly more or less hemorrhage occurs in the 

 brain substance and intracranial tension is increased. The 

 patient also suffers from shock. 



Symptoms. — Following violent blows on the head the symp- 

 toms usually appear at once; in some cases, however, an hour 

 or two may elapse before they make themselves manifest. 

 The symptoms are generally the result of accumulations of 

 blood in the brain, due to the traumatism. Where the injury 

 has not been great the animal appears stunned, falls to the 

 ground, where it may remain for ten to twenty minutes, to 

 finally regain complete consciousness. Sometimes permanent 

 symptoms may be left behind. When the injury has been 

 severe the animal is found lying unconscious, pupils dilateds 

 and reflexes dormant. The respirations are slow and irregu- 

 lar, the pulse usually rapid, but occasionally slow and often 

 arhythmic. Incontinence of feces and urine may occur. 

 Usually after lying unconscious for a few hours the reflexe," 



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