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CONCUSSION OF THE BRAIN. 
do. During the first forty-eight hours the patient must be watched, and 
the usual measures taken to ward off brain symptoms. Rest, restricted 
diet, and laxatives are also to be recommended. 
(2.) CONCUSSION OF THE BRAIN (COMMOTIO 
CEREBRI). 
Concussion is induced in horses by falls or collisions, and less frequently 
by kicks from a shod foot. Wilhelm diagnosed the condition in a cow 
which had fallen a distance of 14 feet off a wall. Dogs and cats suffer 
from falls from windows as well as from blows on the skull. 
The symptoms consist of loss of consciousness, inability to stand and 
walk, sometimes pallor of the mucous membrane of the head, and a small, 
infrequent pulse. In carnivora vomiting may be present. Respiration 
is sometimes irregular. Various views are held concerning the altera¬ 
tions produced in the brain : molecular displacement is scarcely sufficient 
explanation, nor do the experiments of Koch and Filelme demonstrate 
the precise pathological conditions. 
Course. Where concussion is not associated with fracture of the skull, 
bleeding into the cranial cavity, or further injuries, the symptoms usually 
disappear in a short time, often after a few hours, at latest after some 
days. A so-called reaction sometimes follows, the mucous membranes 
become red, the pulse more frequent and wiry—conditions indicating- 
febrile mischief. 
Medical inteiference is usually contra-indicated, and if adopted must be 
confined to treating symptoms. The drugs oftenest employed are heart 
stimulants. 
Absolute rest and easily digestible food in moderate quantity are desir¬ 
able. In a case reported by Wilhelm, complete recovery occurred after 
two days. 
(3.) FRACTURES OF THE FRONTAL BONE. 
When occurring on the upper portion (cerebral surface), prognosis and 
treatment are the same as in fractures of the skull. It is otherwise 
where the wall of the frontal sinus or the external plate of the bone are 
alone involved. Fractures here have a different signification according 
to their position. In most cases the prognosis is favourable and treatment 
successful, as experience in trephining the frontal sinus would indicate. 
In lummants, fractuie of the frontal bone only becomes serious when 
the inner plate of bone is affected; then treatment is similar to that in 
fractures of the skull. Fracture of the horn core will be considered 
latei. In those of the oibital process of the temporal bone the eye may 
