218 DISEASES OF THE BRAIN 



A secondary meningoencephalitis may follow strangles in 

 the horse or tuberculosis in the ox. Obviously, meningo- 

 encephalitis may also result from traumatism, inflammation 

 of the brain and meninges following an injury. Abscesses 

 in the neighborhood of the cranium (eye socket), necrosis 

 of the atlas, diseases of the middle ear, etc., may lead to an 

 infection of the brain. 



In rare cases parasites (sclerostomes, Gastrophilus equi, 

 ccenurus and cysticerci) may be causes. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of brain disturbance usually 

 develop rapidly. The patient appears stupid, languid, the 

 facial expression staring, and the attitude unphysiological. 

 Horses often stand with their fore and hind feet drawn 

 together, the head pendent, and the eyelids partially closed. 

 The patient pays little or no attention to its surroundings, 

 does not eat, and fails to obey commands. The gait is awk- 

 ward, stumbling, and sometimes the fore feet are lifted as if 

 the horse were wading in water. There are often marked 

 symptoms of cerebral excitement, the patient running about 

 in an aimless fashion, not infrequently colliding with the fence, 

 building, or whatever may come in its way. Forced move- 

 ments are also observed, the animal walking in a circle. 



Cattle are restless, look wild, bellow, tear up the earth with 

 their horns, and may even attack persons. They finally drop 

 to the ground and are seized with convulsions. In tubercular 

 meningitis symptoms of excitement are usually absent. 



Following the stage of excitement which usually lasts not 

 over half an hour the patient goes over into a stage of stupor, 

 seems oblivious of its surroundings, stands with the eyelids 

 half-closed, head sunken, chin resting upon the edge of the 

 manger, or quite commonly the head is forced into a corner. 

 The gait is often irregular, awkward, the patient stumbling 

 and falling as it progresses. 



While the respirations are accelerated in the stage of 

 excitement, in the second stage they are usually slower than 

 normal and deeper. Sometimes Cheyne-Stokes respirations 

 have been noted. The pulse may be too rapid or too slow. 



During the stage of excitement the sensibility of the 

 patient is increased; later greatly reduced. The poll of the 



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