OF THE BRAIN IN A MARE. 
607 
first taken ill she suddenly lost her appetite, hung down her 
head, appeared dull and heavy, and moved with difficulty. In 
two days from this time the animal appeared much worse, and a 
hard insensible swelling was visible on the outer surface of the 
scapula. The pulse was small and quick, the breathing un- 
altered, and the eyes nearly closed. The mucous membrane of the 
nose was very red, and the palpitations of the heart perceptible. 
On the third day after the appearance of this affection the mare 
suddenly fell, and never rose again. She died forty-eight hours 
afterwards. 
The following symptoms exhibited themselves while the animal 
lay on the ground : — The temperature of the skin was variable, 
sometimes burning hot, at others icy cold ; the eyelids remained 
closely shut, and, if pushed asunder, the cornea looked cloudy 
and covered with a viscous coat of mucus ; the mucous membrane 
of the nose and conjunctiva were of a deep red hue; the pulse 
was quick and soft, and increased from 70 to 90 pulsations per 
minute. The palpitations of the heart were sensible on both 
sides, and the breathing became loud and laborious. The ani- 
mal shewed not the least sensibility though pricked with sharp 
instruments, and pushed and struck. 
Hence I was led to conclude that the disease was some affection 
of the brain, and to institute a treatment adapted to it, consist- 
ing in bleeding, cold fomentations, strong embrocations rubbed 
into the throat and back, setons, rowels, &c., all of which were 
useless. The symptoms continued to increase; paralysis came 
on ; the urine and dung were voided without any effort of nature, 
and death soon afterwards supervened. 
On post-mortem examination we found the liver soft and cho- 
colate coloured, traces of inflammation in the lungs, great dis- 
tention of all the vessels of the membrane of the brain, and, be- 
tween the dura mater and the left lobe of the brain, a collection of 
yellow matter of the consistence of cream, and which might, per- 
haps, have amounted to an ounce. The pia mater appeared to be 
somewhat thickened in this place, and the surface of the brain 
corroded. The substance of these parts appeared to be softer 
than is natural. 
As no external evidence of affection of the brain was per- 
ceptible I might have been led to consider the formation of these 
abscesses as a metastasis of disease, which supervened on or 
was produced by the previous catarrhal affection. 
Of all the diseases of horses, none are so liable to be mistaken, 
and in none is it so difficult to discover their actual seat, as in 
catarrhal affections. These metastases appear in the diseases of 
the mucous membrane of the air-passages, or in the secreting 
