OF THE HEAD AND NECK. 
311 
such an extent that he goes on his knees. A veterinary 
surgeon happening to be passing by, I called him in, and we 
observed the case attentively for one hour, speculating on 
various surmises, such as cerebro-spinal arachnitis, &c. ; 
but never having seen such a case before, consequently being 
in ignorance as to the means to pursue, and always adverse to 
speculative treatment of diseases, I left for a short time, 
leaving my assistant in charge, with instructions to give 
aloetic injection every quarter of an hour, — which, by the 
bye, I would recommend all practitioners to have at all times 
ready made up, viz., consisting of 2 lbs. Cape Aloes dissolved 
in two gallons of boiling water : the undissolved portion to 
be mixed with one pint of strong whiskey, and mixed 
altogether, and bottled for use. 1 also desired my assistant 
to note down all the symptoms until my return at seven 
o’clock ; but there was no difference in them, excepting 
very slight, while the injections were operating. I stood, 
with hands in my pockets, wondering what the pathological 
nature of the disease could be. The same symptoms still 
continued, except in sweating, and the pulse not more than 
45. Being desirous of observing the symptoms when the 
animal’s head was raised (if possible) as high as the manger, 
I directed my assistant, with the groom, to try and effect it. 
A bucket of water was placed before him on the ground ; on 
attempting to raise his head, so as to enable him to drink of it, 
on the slightest force being tried, he would, as usual, bend 
his head under his fore-legs, though, by placing the bucket 
of water under his nose, he drank with avidity, and could 
raise his head as high as his knees. I ordered the iron 
manger to be filled with cold water, and his head by degrees 
brought on a level with it; to effect which the groom, a 
powerful man, put his shoulder under his head and gradually 
raised it up, the assistant at the same time rubbing and 
patting the neck. By degrees, the mouth was launched into 
the trough of water, the animal commenced gulping down 
the water, until, as if by magic, the patient raised his head 
up to the natural height, and looked about him, shook 
himself, his head assumed the natural appearance, and he 
dispatched a bran-mash in fifteen minutes afterwards, and 
ever since has been quite well. The nature of the disease, 
of course, was immediately obvious to be cramps of the flexor 
muscles of the head and neck. 
Dublin; \§th March, 1853. 
[*** We are sorry we could not introduce the “ sketches,” 
which are very characteristic. — E d. Vet.] 
