'OBSCURE DISEASE IN A HORSE. 
79 
eaten his previous night’s feed; and from that time to 
February 14th, the day I first saw him, he had not eaten 
a mouthful of food nor drank any water. A period of seven 
weeks ! This information astonished me, particularly when I 
considered the condition of the animal. I asked how he 
had lived all this time. The reply was, “ I have fed him 
with meal (Indian corn meal) and bran mixed and made 
into gruel, giving it several times a day from a bottle, but 
the horse can neither eat nor drink.” I carefully examined 
his mouth but could discover no cause for the symptoms. I 
requested the owner to offer him some w I * * * * * 7 ater w'hich w 7 as 
done. The animal was evidently thirsty, but had not the 
power to drink. He w 7 as then offered some hay, which he 
seemed to desire, but could not get it into his mouth, as 
he had not the pow r er to open it. I then opened his mouth 
and drew forth his tongue to one side ; and, on its being 
released from my grasp, he quickly withdrew it, and his 
mouth closed as if by a spiral spring. I considered my 
case rather obscure, but was desirous of doing something to 
afford relief. I accordingly gave the following ball, which 
he took w 7 ith little apparent difficulty. 
Aloes Barb., 5iv; 
Ant. Potassse Tart., 5j ; 
Potassse Nit., 5iij- Ft. bolus. 
I also gave directions to continue the usual course as to 
feeding him. 
15th, a.m. — Visited my patient. He appeared to be about 
the same. The bow 7 els are unrelieved; he has lain dow r n 
during the night; his spirits are good, and he w 7 as desirous 
of food and drink, but had not the powder to take either. I 
opened his mouth, but he as quickly shut it. There appeared 
some rigidity of the masseter muscle on the near side; 
on the off side it w r as quite flaccid. I requested the owner 
to put a small wdsp of hay into his mouth. He did so on 
the off side. In attempting to masticate it, the animal’s 
jaws appeared very limited in their motion, with a peculiar 
grating sound, evidently from attrition of the molar teeth. 
After chewdng upon the hay for a few seconds he w T ould 
throw up his head, which was suddenly turned to the right 
side, then start back, rear up in his stall, his head striking 
the roof of the building, wffiich was between nine and ten 
feet in height. This paroxysm w r ould continue only for a 
short time when he seemed to recover himself, and again 
stepped up to the manger, but with a peculiar elevation and 
extension of the hind extremities under the body. He 
